Chapter Nine

Relena was fuming by the time she entered her office. Not only did she wake up to untruthful gossip, but the people she worked with actually believed it! All through the hallway the women of the building would turn up their noses at her or, if there was more than one, would whisper as she passed by. She knew what they were saying, but that didn't stop her bad mood from increasing.

As she slammed down her files that her disappointed assistant had given her onto her desk, she removed her jacket and let out the frustrated sigh she had held all the way through the building. She turned around in hopes that Duo would still be there. He wasn't. He was halfway in her office, but his head was still stuck out into the hallway and she could hear him speaking to the assistant. Surely they didn't think her 'affair' was with Duo.

She waited, crossing her arms over her chest and watched the long braid swing as he spoke and laughed. After a few moments, Duo emerged entirely into her office, grinning like he always did.

"Sorry, I straightened the gossip column out with your assistant. She knows not to let just anyone in."

"I'm sure she thinks it's you I'm supposedly sleeping with."

"No! She knew it was probably Heero. She said you chose a cuter man to sleep with."

Relena huffed, sitting down behind her desk now, "I'm not sleeping with him. I have never slept with him."

"I know that, Princess, but not everyone believes it. You do spend a lot of time with him. Granted, it's mostly work time. He does live with you though…"

"Which is why I immediately assumed she was sleeping with him. I have been with her for two years and not once has she offered me to move in with her." Tony's voice said from the corner of the room. Relena jumped and Duo pulled his gun out from the back in his pants.

"What are you doing here? Get out!" Relena yelled, pointing to the door.

"Well, I decided to see if you had read the latest gossip article. I see that you have. I'm surprised that they were willing to publish my interview so quickly. In all honesty, Relena, I don't know what you see in the Preventer. He's brash and introverted. You need someone of your stature."

"I have no reason to explain my decision. I have tried for many weeks to call this wedding off; that I didn't want to marry you anymore. You didn't listen to me."

"And you also said there wasn't anyone else. I may have listened if you told me you fell in love with someone else."

"I disagree. You have proven to me that either way I went about it; you would have ruined my reputation. You would have done everything in your power to try and ruin me."

"You're right, but an affair is much more bruising than being a workaholic or selfish and unready."

"There was no affair…" She murmured, keeping her head high but faltering in her argument. He made a valid point, but he was still incorrect.

"Emotional involvement is still an affair, whether no sexual activity was present. You fell in love with this man and that is still cheating."

"Then I have cheated on you for two years, Tony. I have always loved him and always will."

"You plan on marrying him then?"

"Not immediately."

"So, who is he? Really? He can't be just some guy that you randomly met during the war."

Relena wanted to laugh. She did randomly meet him on a beach. She had no idea who he was or what kind of role he was about to play in her life. Instead she asked her own question, "How did you get those texts? Why did you decide to publish them for the world to see? Why couldn't you have just talked to me like this instead of involving the world?"

"I wanted the world to see you for what you really are… a lying, cheating slut."

"Hey now!" Duo yelled, gun still in his hand and aiming at Tony. The politician raised his hands lazily, not afraid of the former Gundam pilot.

"Ah, Mr. Maxwell, it's a pleasure to see you again. I thought for sure that Mr. Yuy would be accompanying her to her office today. I'm glad to see you still haven't lost your touch on handling a gun." Duo and Relena arched their eyebrows simultaneously. Tony chuckled maliciously, "You can't honestly think that I didn't do some research on your Preventers. I know that Duo was the Gundam pilot of the Gundam 02, or what he called it Deathscythe."

"How?"

"I am a man of power, Relena. Don't think I won't use my power to get what I need."

"Abuse of your power will quickly drain you of it. If I were you, I would pretend I didn't have any power at all. That is how you, how did you say it, gain total control? You want to be President one day, right? What do you think the President has that you don't?"

"Old age," Tony answered, laughing, lowering his hands now.

"No, humility. He tried to do the world good and not rule with tyranny."

"Tyranny is the only way this world will ever be at peace, Relena."

"I disagree," Heero's voice said suddenly from behind Duo and Relena.

"Ah! Mr. Yuy, so glad you could join us." Tony seemed pleased to see the stoic man.

Relena watched as Heero walked into the middle of the office. She could see that his soldier mode had been turned on. He was more Gundam pilot Heero than the Vice Foreign Minister's bodyguard which was enough to keep Relena from speaking further. She wasn't afraid of him, but she knew that when this mask was on, he had discovered something more important that a gossip column.

"Mr. Anthony Samoz, you're under arrest for soliciting and trafficking of children. Anything you say or do will be held against you." Heero continued his long strides closer to Tony, who's freckled and pink cheeks paled.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Tony struggled to bring command back to his voice.

"Your computer files indicate that you are in a sex trading ring, importing missing children."

"I have no idea what you're speaking of. Sex trading? I am a respectable man that is against such acts!" Tony bellowed, straightening his suit jacket. Heero didn't respond, pulling out his Preventer handcuffs and unlocking them. At the sight of the glinting metal, Tony punched Heero in the face, sprinting across the office and out towards the door. Relena was confused on why he would attempt to go out that way. He was in a room of two Gundam pilots, one close to the door. Relena turned to look at Heero, who had not flinched from the impact.

"Nice try!" Duo laughed, tackling the politician and locking his arms behind his back. Heero strode over them, handcuffing him in the least gentle way he could.

Duo stood him up, letting Tony kick and scream about being framed. Heero cracked his knuckles and landed a blow into Tony's abdomen. He was silenced instantly.

"Duo, Commander Une is downstairs waiting for him."

"Right!" Duo laughed again, tugging the limp Tony out of the office.

Once the door closed, Relena looked to Heero. She was confused with Tony's accusations and also disgusted. She had never known; never even suspected. Her hands started shaking suddenly, feeling weak from the events of the early morning. It wasn't even nine o'clock and she had been called a slut, cancelled her wedding, and watched her ex-fiancé get arrested.

"You'll need to go to the Preventer Headquarters. They'll want to question you and get a report." Heero said, startling her at his closeness. She hadn't realized that he had moved at all.

"I had no idea…"

"I know, but its procedure." Heero breathed against her cheek, using a calloused finger to brush the hair off of her neck.

"What do we do now?"

2xH

Thank you for the beautiful send off! Aruba is quite lovely (even if it's too hot to go outside!) I'm trying to get Heero to go sun tanning, but he says it's bad for your skin. So far, this is the best vacation I've ever had… Heero doesn't want to call it a honeymoon. I'm sad that the two of you couldn't join us, but I know that the salvage shop needs some attention too. Hopefully we'll see you soon when we come to L2 next month!

Lots of love,

1xR

Mission complete.