Title: Becoming Meilan
Summary: Wufei is actually a girl! Relena finds out.
Warnings: swearing, violence, future shojou-ai (lesbian) relationship. Nothing graphic.
Disclaimer: All of these characters and this world belong to me. Totally, definitely mine.

Author's note: I'm told that this story may be somewhat confusing. Just hang in there; it'll all make sense soon enough

Chapter Two
I'm not sure how I managed to fly Shenlong at all, much less land safely. My vision kept fading in and out. But the world was slowly fading from red to pink, and I somehow stayed on my feet.

Peacecraft was standing on the porch of the safehouse, hand raised to the doorbell. As I watched she paused, turned around as if to leave, then turned back again.

I suppressed a sigh. It was sadly predictable, really: put Yuy somewhere, and Peacecraft was sure to follow. Idiot woman.

Maybe she could distract the others enough that they would leave me alone.

She looked surprised to see me. I could see myself reflected in her eyes: limping, bruised, hair matted, clothes blood-stained and dripping.

"Miss Peacecraft." I spared her a nod.

"Wufei." She nodded back, already dismissing me. Good.

The others had already arrived, my injuries having slowed me down. The entryway was empty. The kitchen was on the left—Barton was cooking, from the smell of it. Going up the stairs hurt, but then so did everything. There was typing coming from the first room.

"Yuy, you have a visitor," I said as I passed. He grunted.

Maxwell's music was coming from the second room. He glanced up as I passed; I gave him a nod and moved on.

He followed me into the bathroom. I ignored him.

"Wufei, are you okay?" He sounded concerned. My searching hands found the bandages I wanted in the dark. "Here, let me help you with that."

He reached out to steady me, and his hand brushed my shoulder.

"No!" I whirled around. Forced myself to take a deep breath. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." Lie upon lie upon lie.

"Wufei—" I pushed past him roughly. The fourth room was unoccupied. I winced as I sat on the bed, my ribs shifting painfully.

"Wufei." Winner now; his eyes worried. My hand clenched, knuckles white. "You're hurt. Let me—"

I cut him off. "I'm fine." I glared at him: leave me alone. He jumped, gave me a piercing look, and then slowly backed away. I sighed as the door closed, forcing my hand to relax its grip. Winner would keep the others away.

Binding your own ribs is harder than it sounds.

"Wufei's hurt, isn't he?" Peacecraft's voice sounded close. I froze.

"Relena, Wufei is fine. He—"

Furious shouting. "He is not fine! I saw him limping! I can't believe you guys aren't helping him!"

"Relena, wait—"

The door opened. Closed.

Shit.

I glared at her helplessly from where I sat half-naked on the bed, gauze in both hands. I was suddenly aware again of my torn, filthy pants and unbound hair. And my shirt, crumpled next to me.

"Wufei, I... you..."

So the famous Peacecraft was finally speechless. Finish the sentence, woman. 'You're a girl.' It's not hard to say. But she remained silent, so I glared harder. "Get out."

She stepped closer. "No. You're hurt." Her eyes flickered here, there, before finally settling on my face. "Let me help you with that." Another step. I snarled. Another.

I was suddenly indescribably weary. "A promise first." She stopped at my voice. "That—" I couldn't say it. I hated myself for this weakness, hated her for putting me in this situation. I bit it back.

She caught my gaze and held it. "I vow it on my father's grave. Your secret is safe with me."

"Witnessed." I relaxed slightly as some of the tension left me. Still, it was hard to say. I did it anyway. "Miss Peacecraft. I would appreciate your assistance with this."

At the first touch of her hands I was rigid again—

harsh grasping hands

sneering voices

pain

I forced myself to stop shaking.

Peacecraft's hands were gentle where they brushed mine.

Cold.

I opened my eyes.

I was dreaming; I knew it, yet was equally helpless to do anything about it.

Dark.

My body ached: ribs broken, bruises forming. And a deeper ache, one I ignored.

The air hummed.

They would be back.

I woke to intense arguing. Peacecraft was blocking the doorway with her body. Beyond her, Yuy hovered, shadowed by Barton. I blinked.

"Relena, let me in." Yuy moved to one side. I struggled to sit up, my head pounding. The room tilted dangerously.

Peacecraft followed his movements. "No."

"Wufei is hurt and sick. I need—"

"You hypocrite!" Peacecraft's voice was low and angry. "Wufei was hurt and sick when I got here, and you were all oh-so-carefully not helping him! And now you're upset because I am?! Don't you dare even try."

Yuy hesitated, obviously unwilling to push past her. I blinked again and laid back down. I had clearly woken up in some alternate dimension, and the only solution was to go back to sleep. Surely when I woke up again things would be back to normal.

Barton's quiet voice broke the stalemate. "Heero, leave it. They'll be fine."

The door clicked shut.

"I can't believe I just did that." Peacecraft sounded slightly hysterical. I regarded her warily.

"Thank you." For some reason, the words didn't seem so hard to say this time.

She looked up in surprise. "You're welcome." A wry grin. "Besides, he deserved it." She laid a cool hand on my forehead. "You're burning up. Why don't you go back to sleep, and I'll make sure no one else comes in."

I thought about arguing, considered insisting that I was fine, but it just didn't seem worth the effort. As I drifted off, I registered faint protest at having been so expertly maneuvered. Damn politicians.

It was dark. I shivered.

Sudden silence, and the slow swing of the door.

Rough hands, harsh voices. Jeering.

Pain.

Light. Peacecraft was shaking me.

I had the gun out and pressed to her temple before I opened my eyes. She stared at me, eyes wide.

"Idiot woman!" I shrugged her hands off irritably. "Do you have some sort of death wish?"

She backed off. I took a quick inventory as I sat up: ribs sore but bearable, bruises tender. Good enough.

"Wufei." There was a determined note in Peacecraft's voice that made me look up. "What happened to you?"

I stilled. "Why do you ask?"

Her hands twisted together. "Your dreams—" she broke off. Took a deep breath. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

Naive fool. Was I ever that young?

A night of cold rain and slick grass.

"I will live for justice. I will change this world!"

I had been. Once. Long ago.

I squared my shoulders and shook it off, slipping my sword through my belt. Halfway to the door I turned and bowed low, ignoring the pinch of broken ribs.

"Thank you for your assistance. I will not forget my debt to you."

At the door I turned around. Peacecraft was standing silently in the center of the room, looking lost. I quenched a sudden surge of sympathy. "This is war, Princess. Get used to it."

Author's note: I've always wanted to say that last line.

The next part picks up after the end of the war, but it's not done yet. So it may be a bit of a wait; rest assured, though, that I will be writing more and eventually finishing this.

What'd you think so far? Good? Bad? Do tell!