Episode 11: Mission Beginnings disclaimer: Don't own GW so on and so forth. Skye looked at the enraged pair. For once she was really afraid of her older sister. There was an evil glint in her eyes Duo's expression mirrored his lovers.
"Was I interrupting something?" Skye asked hesitantly, "On second thought, I don't want to know."
The youngest assassin rushed out the door leaving the couple alone to say their goodbyes. Melanie turned back to Duo and nuzzled his shoulder again.With RelenaThe blonde pilot of Day Star walked nervously down the hall. She wanted to wish Heero good luck in his venture, even though he probably didn't need it or want to hear it from her. His door was slightly ajar. Peeking in she saw him packing his clothes. His attention was fully on packing or so she thought, until he spoke;
"You can come in Relena," Heero said gruffly.
She hesitantly walked in, and sat down on the bed. Her eyes followed him around the room as he moved with the grace that he had.
"So you're going to Japan with a partner," she said knowing the answer.
"And you're staying here, with Melanie."
"It's going to be odd without all of you here."
She noticed he was avoiding talking about her being Day Star's pilot and that new girl Sakura. He stopped for a moment to look into her eyes. She got up preparing to leave, "Heero about Day Star..."
He silenced her by backing her into a corner and putting his hands on either side of her face to stop her escape.
"I knew."
"Was I that obvious?"
The look in his eyes gave her the answer she sought. "I guess I can't get anything past you can I?"
He turned away from her to continue packing. Sighing heavily she headed for the door. "Good luck Heero."
She turned to leave, but his hand on her arm stopped her.
"Relena," he said softly.
This wasn't the Heero she knew at all. She knew he was the silent predator.
"Heero?"
He pulled her forward into his arms. On instinct her arms wrapped around his waist. Leaning forward he placed a light kiss on her lips then whispered in her ear.
"Good luck Relena."
They pulled apart and Relena walked in a dazed like state back to her room. Where she fell on her bed and easily fell to sleep dreaming things that she shouldn't be dreaming about.Melanie not to long after Skye's interruption Pegan knocked on her door telling her that Mr. Peacecraft needed to speak with her.
"Miss Silver, Mr. Peacecraft needs to speak with you in his office."
"I'll be there soon enough Pegan."
The man bowed and left. "Duo, I..."
He placed a light kiss on her lips before whispering;
"It's all right Melanie. We still have time."
She got up reluctantly and headed towards the man's office. Two men waited for her when she showed up. Both figures were recognizable, one her father and the other Mr. Peacecraft.
"You wanted to see me Sir?" she asked calmly as if her father wasn't even there.
"Yes, since you are the original assassin here so the contract that was assigned has been reformatted."
"How so sir?"
"Sit," he said as he gestured to the chair.
She sat where instructed.
"As you know the original contract warranted the end to the Peacecraft line. I have over ruled that contract with my own. Now you're mission is to train with which ever person you're assigned to at the time and train them in the ways of your clan."
"Is that why he's here?" she snarled.
"Melanie," Mr. Peacecraft snapped.
"No, you don't understand Mr. Peacecraft."
"Melanie about that I am sorry," her father began.
"Bull shit."
Mr. Silver waved Mr. Peacecraft from saying anything about her out burst. "He tried to threaten Duo's safety to me. Whether you know it or not Dad," she snapped. "Duo comes first, always."
It never registered to her the new contract guidelines until she was in the middle of the tirade. "Wait what did you say?"
"You're contract terms are now that of a body guard, Melanie. Mainly for Relena. It is the same for your sister and brother. They have received their orders."
"Thank you sir."
Getting up she headed towards the door. Mr. Silver watched his daughter leave.
"She's so much like her mother."
"She'll do well here."
"She will because when it comes to protecting things that she needs to protect, she's the best at it in the family."
"That's good because I'm counting on her."
The two males sat down together and discussed what was to happen.Melanie took a detour and went to check on Relena. She was sleeping safe and sound in her bed. The way she was moving made Melanie curious so she stepped forward. Leaning down she heard Relena moaning Heero's name. Biting back a laugh she blended in with the shadows and backed out the door. Blackmail would work wonderfully if Relena brought up what she and Duo had done.
A Loud crash sounded through the hall way making Melanie alert. It came from her wing of the mansion. Basically where most of the pilots were. Moving swiftly she saw that only one room was smoking setting off the alarms. Fear clenched her heart as she realized what room it was. It was hers. Without thought or fear she threw her weight against the door. It didn't budge. Throwing her weight against it again she heard the door groan in protest. Getting back up she did it again and successfully got in. The others were crowding in the hall. They stood back. Moving into the room she found most of the room a charred mess.
"Duo!" she cried out.
She moved through the wreckage of her stuff. The groaning of something made her wary.
"Duo?"
Looking around she saw that her katana was un marred despite the explosion. Her balcony was gone and glass littered the door. Her senses were on high alert as she picked the sword up. The bed was shredded. Moving towards it she shifted through the cloth trying to find any sign of her wayward pilot. Tears began to stain her soot streaked face. A flash of black against dark green caught her attention. Moving swiftly forward she ran after the figure determined to make them pay and pay dearly for killing her boyfriend.Relena looked carefully at the gathering of the other pilots wondering what the hell just happened.
"Quatre what happened?" Relena asked the Arabian pilot.
"Someone planted a bomb and Duo was in there. Melanie's looking... was now she's going to kill that person."
"What about me? Oh God what happened?"
Everyone turned to see Duo unharmed. He was wearing black jean pants and his black muscle shirt. The only other color was the white bandage wrapped around his hand.
Melanie came back moments later dragging the culprit. He was bound and gagged with ninja wire. Dropping him she sank to her knees. Blood dripped slowly from the cuts on her body. Relena knelt beside her comrade.
"Melanie are you ok?"
"I hurt is all."
There was sadness written in every line of her form. Duo was at her side in moments commenting on the blood on her.
"Duo?" she asked in disbelief.
"Melanie are you all right?" he asked softly as he dragged her into his arms.
"Yeah, I thought..." shaking her head she put on her 'I mean business' look. "Wufei do the honors of unmasking our foe. I hope for your sake my amigo if you're my brother, you're dead."
Wufei complied and removed the mask. Melanie was confused. She didn't know this boy.
"You're weak to attack like this," Wufei growled.
The boy just smirked for some reason. Melanie was getting nervous.
"What's your name?" she asked hesitantly.
"Why Melanie you're looking quiet beautiful tonight," the boy said seductively.
Melanie was on edge even more now. "Have we forgotten already, Melanie?"
Duo saw his girlfriend getting really nervous by this intruder. Moving forward he stepped in front of her. Heero moved in front of Relena not liking the situation. Some of the father's came running down the hall. Followed by Skye and Theron. Theron skidded to a halt in front of the stranger.
"Lance what the hell are you doing here?"
"Completing your mission."
"What mission?" Quatre demanded.
"To make sure my Fiance doesn't become a whore, but I'm guessing from the protective stance of that man she's already become one."
Everyone was stunned at the comment except Duo who ended up seeing red. Only Mr. Silver's hand on his shoulder held him back. Mr. Peacecraft chose to come in at the moment. Looking at the damage and the enraged Duo he shouted;
"ENOUGH!"
Every motion in the room stopped. Even Duo froze in mid action.
"Mr. Silver deal with this boy. The rest of you go to bed if you're not already packed. That goes for you and Trowa, Quatre. All of you will be leaving early tomorrow."
"Mr. Peacecraft," Duo began.
"I said, 'enough!' All of you will go to bed. Melanie you will room with Relena."
Everyone filed towards their own rooms. The only one left was Melanie. Her eyes were glittering with a strange emotion that the older man had never seen in her eyes before.
"Melanie?"
A heavy sigh escaped her stilled form to show that she was feeling any type of emotion. "What is it?"
"Don't jeopardize my mission again," she snarled.
"I didn't..."
"Lance is my target now and you interfered with that."
"You knew about your engagement to him?"
"The engagement doesn't exist anymore."
"How's that?"
"Because Melanie Silver doesn't exist anymore, only Melanie stands here. Lance has no claims over me anymore, I belong to Duo."
Turning without waiting for any response she headed towards Duo's room. If she had looked back just then she would of seen a smirk on Mr. Peacecraft's face. He knew she wouldn't bow to anyone's command, much less his. She was wild and young, but sometimes those two things never went together.Duo sat down heavily on his bed. His stuff was packed. Though the one thing he wanted couldn't join him. A light tapping on the glass on his adjoining balcony made him start. Looking up a figure clad in black stood there. Grabbing the gun that was under his pillow he never saw the attack coming.
"Put the gun down," the person hissed.
The sharpened edge of a katana was placed against his throat. Duo dropped the gun onto the floor. The figure kicked the gun away.
"Now what?" Duo asked trying to keep the humor in his voice. "You going to rape me?"
"There is no need Duo."
The sharp edge was drawn away. A heavy sigh escaped the figure. Duo touched the thin trickle of blood on his neck.
"Geeze Melanie that was cutting it a little to close."
"Duo I want you to promise me you'll come back."
"Melan..."
He stopped when her finger was pressed to his lips.
"Try, is all I ask."
"Done my lady."
"Good night My Shinigami."
Turning she was heading towards the balcony. Duo shook his head at his girlfriend's antics. Turning towards his bed he laid down readying for sleep. Something sharp jabbed him on the shoulder. Looking down a blood red rose lay there. A smirk crossed his features as he drifted to sleep clutching the blood red flower.The next MorningEveryone turned to say their goodbye as the gundams were loaded into their cargo planes. Melanie never said a thing. She just sat on the hood of a black jeep reclined against the windshield. Her attention wasn't on anything, but the blank space in her mind. Duo looked over his shoulder as he heaved his bag over it to look at her. She wasn't even saying her goodbyes to anyone. Relena was trying to get her to say something anything, but the assassin's attention never wavered from nothingness. The red rose was clenched in his hand. He didn't need her goodbye because they'd meet again. Once all the pilots were gone Melanie shook her head to clear the fog that had enveloped her mind.
"Why didn't you say goodbye?"
"It's not going to be goodbye Relena it's going to be 'see you later'."
The girls returned to the hanger to start their own mission. Lifting her head up towards the sky she silently wished every pilot luck in their ventures.