A/N: Very short sorry! But I didn't want to make it too long. The original story did not have chapters so I had to cut it at certain places which makes for uneven chapters. Sorry! =P
She awoke and looked around sleepily. There was an indent in the spot of her bed next to her where someone had been most of the night. She looked around hurriedly and then settled herself. It hadn't been a dream. It couldn't have been a dream. He had felt so real. She got up and put a robe around her and walked out into the hall. Duo was there waiting for her. He grinned at her mischievously and she blushed embarrassed by what he must be thinking. She looked at her watch.
"Duo it's not your shift yet. Where's Heero?" She asked trying to change the subject. But what she really wanted to know was why Heero wasn't with her. Duo's wink told her he knew more than she wished he did, but then he shrugged his shoulders.
"Last I heard you fired him. He went to Lady Une early this morning to turn in his uniform." She looked at him shocked.
"No! Why would he do that? He knew I didn't mean it. Then…" She wanted to say 'last night' but thought better of it with Duo right beside her.
"It's how he is Lena. He accomplished his mission and now I guess it's time for him to move on." He shrugged and Relena walked away from him. It could only be guessed that she had been his mission and now he was moving on from her.
She felt depressed all day and for the next following week and month. She had finally felt secure and happy and then he left her again. She wondered how long it would take before he would come back again.
As always she buried herself in work the next few months. Her emotions were like a roller coaster constantly going this way and that. It was just like before when he had left. Unfortunately all the work was getting to her physically and emotionally and Sally was concerned about her health.
"Relena, have you been feeling alright?" Relena nodded her head.
"I've been fine, I just…"
"Relena, I think you are suffering from depression. Have you been feeling tired, not in your usual spirits? Sad?" Relena looked at Sally their eyes meeting. The look was enough to tell Sally all she needed. It seemed everyone knew of what happened and the thought made her embarrassed.
"I'm fine, really Sally." Sally gave an uncertain smile.
"I'd like to do a physical examination of you if that'd be okay. Just to make sure it isn't anything else." Relena just shrugged and let the doctor do as she wished. An hour later, she left and went to her meeting that had been scheduled and thought nothing more about it. When she got back Sally's message was waiting and she was escorted by Wufei personally to hear her results. All the extra attention made her nervous.
She entered into the room a bit self conscious and saw Sally waiting at her desk. She looked up and smiled at Relena with an odd little smile. When she had dismissed Wufei with a curious look she turned her attention to her patient.
"Is something the matter, Sally?" She tried not to sound nervous, but Sally looked at her oddly.
"No, don't get me wrong. You're in excellent health Relena. You could do with a bit more nourishment, but we'll work on that in a bit, but I did find something…" Sally began.
"I thought you said I was fine…"
"You are, you're perfectly fine, well… Relena have you been feeling odd lately or is there something you should tell me?" Sally pushed Relena trying to make her give something in, but the confused look she gave must have bothered the good doctor. Relena looked at her oddly as Sally sighed and began to be nervous again.
"I don't understand." She whispered.
"Relena, I think you're pregnant." Sally finally said. Relena stared at her and let out a noise of shock. She felt herself slump in the chair and became pale. Her mind started to turn and she started rethinking the past few months. She suddenly felt nauseous.
"It can't be…" She doubled over feeling the gag in the back of her throat. Sally looked at her strictly.
"Can't it? Relena I've already sent a report to Lady Une. No doubt, she will want to see you soon." Relena leapt to her feet almost as if she had been betrayed. Her cheeks colored.
"What? Sally…I just don't understand…" The confusion was just enough to keep her unaware of all that happening. Sally gave her a sweet smile.
"Don't worry Relena, it will be alright. I'll start you on a new diet immediately. We'll have to discover how far along you are and…" Relena got up and Sally stopped talking. She couldn't take it. She had to leave. She left and went to her office where she could sit in peace. She had to think. She had to understand.
She had a political career to worry about. As of now she was one of the most influential politicians in the world and to make matters worse she was unwed. There wasn't even a boyfriend or fiancée. The people would think she was crazy. The reporters would find out soon enough and when they did she would be doomed. She shivered at the thought. They were like animals with the scent of blood in their nostrils.
Then there was the child, that unknown entity growing inside her. It would be all alone in the world, like its mother was now. She wanted to cry at the thought but instead began to think of her own family. Recently, she had received word Lucrezia had given birth to a little girl, but she hadn't heard the name. Somehow they had managed to hide a lot of information from the press, but she wasn't sure she could be so lucky. Especially the scandal it would cause. That would draw everyone to her. It made her depressed at the thought all the more.
"Relena." She looked up and saw Une had allowed herself in. She straightened up in her chair and eyed Une defiantly.
"I have read the report posted by Dr. Po. Do you care to explain?" Une asked almost in an overly protective motherly tone. Relena, however, was on the defensive.
"I believe everything was in the report, Lady Une." Relena retaliated. Lady Une settled down, knowing Relena was anything but shy.
"Relena it is my job to protect you and I feel compelled to know the specifics. Is it even possible that you can be pregnant?" Relena looked away giving Une all the answer she needed.
"I see, well Relena I know you'll make the right decision in the end and be careful." With that Une got up and left in silence, leaving Relena to her thoughts.
The rest of her day was one that wasted away in a fog. She knew nothing about babies. She remembered looking at Duo's baby girl and wishing she had one of her own. Her hand went unconsciously to her abdomen. At that moment she wondered if the baby was a boy or a girl. The thought hung over her for a few days before she decided to see Duo and Hilde for a day to check in on them and their family. She wanted to see what it was like to have a family.
She called up Hilde as soon as she could and told her she would like to visit.
"Well of course, Relena. You're always welcome here, but is something wrong?" Hilde's worry made Relena worry just how much everyone knew. Hoping word hadn't spread that fast she attempted to remain neutral.
"Everything's fine, I just want some time away."
"Well come on over! We miss you! I'll prepare the guest bedroom. I'll see you later!" Just like her husband Hilde was all excitement when it came to friends. Relena said her goodbyes and hung up the phone. She took a deep breath and packed up her papers to go home and pack her things. She was going on a vacation. She decided she would take up Lady Une's suggestion for if not two, at least one assistant to help her with all her paperwork. A gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach told her she was going to need all the help she could get.
Peygan was waiting for her when she got home, but she ran past him like a blur and packed her things. He read her mind and was ready and waiting with the car to drive her to the Maxwell's. Although their home was small it was very nicely situated with a large backyard and enough room for their family. It made her smile to look at the quaintly situated house.
She thanked Peygan and watched him drive away before she turned to the door. She knocked and heard some screaming and running and wondered if everything was alright. The door opened and Hilde stood holding her baby girl in her arms and welcomed Relena in.
"Relena, hi! I am so sorry everything is a mess but the dynamic duo has been at it again. I think they are playing hide and seek, but you never know. But come in! How have you been? I haven't talked to you in a long time. What's new?" Relena walked in and sat down uncomfortably. Hilde sat opposite of her in another chair.
"Where is Duo, shouldn't he be back soon." Hilde looked at her watch.
"Well yes, I believe so, but don't let that interrupt our girl time. I tell you, having a little girl is the best thing that has ever happened to me. Dressing her up and putting ribbons on her head. She is just so adorable. Oh I am so sorry, barely two minutes in the door and we're talking about babies." She giggled to herself and the baby in her arms sucked on a cookie drooling beautifully over it.
"Well actually I came here to ask for your help." Relena bit her lip in anticipation. Hilde sat up straighter and her composure became more serious.
"Is something the matter? I thought you sounded upset over the phone. If you need anything don't hesitate to ask…" Relena was quiet as Hilde mumbled off and her eyes focused on her.
"Hilde, I'm pregnant." Hilde's eyes went wide. She shifted her baby to her other arm automatically.
"Are you sure? Well, who's the father?" There it was, the question of the year. This would not be the last time she would be faced with it. Relena was quiet for a moment, contemplating her words carefully.
"Yes, I'm sure. I'm only a few months gone, but as you've noticed I'm not married and I'm not sure if a baby would be such a great idea right now. There are so many things to consider, my career, my life. Everything would change." She felt her eyes begin to water and she fought back tears. She succeeded and wiped one drop that had escaped on to her cheek.
"Oh Relena," Hilde touched her hand gently, "don't worry about anyone else. The only person you have to consider is you. Will you be happy?" Relena was quiet for a moment. She had never considered her own happiness. It had always been about everyone else, a politician's curse. She heard Hilde sigh and turned back to her friend.
"Have you told the father yet?' Relena shook her head and Hilde sighed.
"Well I would suggest that would be the first person you talk to about this." Hilde offered. She began to stand up and Relena looked at her oddly. The baby began to shift and whine and Hilde went to the kitchen to begin preparing a bottle. Relena followed nervously.
"I wish I could tell him, but I don't know where he is." Hilde stopped what she was doing and turned to Relena as if expecting more information. Relena sighed deeply and fought with the right words. Of course sometimes it's just easier to go with something simple. No fancy dialect would get her out of this mess.
"It's Heero." She mustered in a slight whisper. Hilde's eyes went wide as her mind began to decipher the problem.
"Oh I see. Well I can try to talk to Duo and see if there is any way we can find him." Relena turned to her in desperation.
"Look Hilde I don't know about this, this is my problem not Heero's."
"Heero is as much to blame for this as you and he deserves the right to know." Somehow, Hilde's determined compositions calmed Relena but it didn't make her less nervous. She wasn't able to think straight and she was grateful someone could.
"Daddy! Daddy!" Screaming boys ran past them as Duo waddled his way in with a boy on each leg. He laughed and tickled them off his feet taking his Preventor jacket off. He looked up and kissed his wife and baby girl and turned to Relena to wrap her in his arms.
"Good to see ya Lena. What were you two chicks talking about?" Hilde cleared her throat and gave Relena a sharp look before turning around and preparing the bottle she had had in her hand.
"Duo, I want to know if you could try to find Heero for me. I have to tell him something important." She hesitated.
"I'm pregnant." The words were out and Duo went still and gave her a look of shock. It was probably the last thing he expected or wanted right now. But even to Duo it was obvious Relena was upset about this situation and he was never one to turn away a friend.
"Well son of a gun. I'll do my best to find him, but you of all people should know if Heero doesn't want to be found he won't be. But don't let that stop you from staying as long as ya like!" He shouted back at her down the hall and she smiled in spite of herself. Sally said it would be another few months before it would become obvious she was with child and she didn't look forward to it. But it bought her time, time to sink into the thought and analyze every detail.
She had a wonderful stay with Duo and Hilde and they took every opportunity to pass the baby into her arms. When she took the baby into her arms she felt relieved and happy. She wanted a baby of her own to be happy with, no matter what anyone said.
It was seeing Duo and Hilde with their family that set her mind straight. She wanted a family like she had growing up. To add to things, she wasn't getting any younger. And although she wasn't old, her political career made it very hard to find someone she was compatible with and would spend the rest of her life with. Then there would be the whole pressure of having children and it just wasn't something she wanted to be a part of.
Of course another matter completely was the thought of the child being Heero's. She had waited so long and even dreamt about this. Sure things hadn't turned out as she hoped but when was she ever going to have another chance at this?
A month passed and then another one. Still Duo had had very little luck finding Heero. He looked every week and sent out messages to the colonies looking for him, but he was nowhere to be found. Finally one day an anonymous message came in for him and he took it quickly. Heero's face flashed across the screen but it was impossible to tell where he was by the background alone.
"I hear you've been looking for me." His death glare bore right through Duo. But the God of Death had little time to waste with pleasantries.
"Heero, look Relena is in trouble. She needs to see you." Heero's eyes narrowed in disbelief. Heero had always watched carefully over Relena, everyone knew that. IF there was threat against Relena he would know of it first.
"You're lying to me, what's going on Duo." Duo straightened his collar nervously.
God why do I always have to be the one to break the bad news. He thought to himself.
"Look it's urgent, Heero. I wouldn't have looked for ya, if I didn't have to. Just trust me on this, Buddy. Relena needs to see you." Heero's death glare returned.
"I have monitored no threat against her. What could you have possibly found that I didn't?" Despite the obvious insult Duo rolled his eyes.
"Look Heero…"
"I'm a little busy right now Duo. I'll double check the security systems, but I assure you Relena is in no danger." With that the monitor clicked off before Duo could say anything more. The braided pilot banged his fists heavily against the desk and cursed.
He got onto the monitor and called home. Hilde picked up and turned to look at him.
"Duo, what's going on?"
"I finally got a hold of Heero today, but I don't think he'll be showing up anytime soon."
"Duo what did you say? This could have been our only chance to help Relena. Have you noticed she has already started to show? It won't be long before the jackets and the black clothes she wears will not be able to hide it anymore." She paused and sighed.
"I know. I'll see you later hon." He turned off the monitor and groaned to himself.
"Damn it Heero."
Heero was quiet for a moment. He had been worried by Duo's incessant badgering and now he was even more worried about his conversation. He had prided himself in watching her every move and knowing if anyone was thinking of endangering her. Taking out his computer he began to type furiously. He checked over foreign reports and anything that seemed suspicious. Nothing was out of the ordinary. He folded his hands in front of his chin for a moment and opened up the Preventors database. He went over all of Relena's private files with ease seeing if he could find anything. The only thing out of the ordinary was the overly frequent medical reports. Slowly he opened them one by one moving around the encrypted files.
Diligently, he opened the first report and read it. Then he opened another report and another. The finding made him shift uneasily in his chair. It was obvious this was what had caused Duo's anxiety. He looked around his room for a moment and picked up his jacket. With one last look at the reports on his computer, he walked out of the room.