Waking Up In Vegas
Chapter Thirty Three
She sighed in happiness. Of course, being on the run for your life because someone found out that you're not really dead usually didn't equate to happiness in her books.
But to finally be herself again. She'd brushed her hair out and quickly pulled it into two ponytails to keep it from getting in her face. She'd ditched the contacts and that horrid *dress*. She wore her own clothes, and didn't bother to hide the silver chain, or the items residing on it, beneath her clothes. She let it glitter on top of her chest, beside her heart. Where it always resided, but for the world to see now.
And moreover... she was doing *her* thing now. No more pretending to be someone else. Pretending to be some sweet mild-natured mouse of a *house-keeper*. She was back in her element now.
She reached out and flicked the mic on. "Phoenix to Papa Bear. Do you read, Papa Bear?"
"Copy that, Phoenix. This is Mama Bear. Coordinates you asked for are...."
The voice rattled off a series of numbers. Jezzy checked the panels before her and made the necessary adjustments to her trajectory.
"Copy that, Mama Bear. ETA... around oh one hundred hours. They're in for a rude awakening. Literally."
"Be careful, my baby," Marie Parfacy whispered. "Mama Bear out."
Jezzy sighed again, flicking the mic back off and wriggling her but in her seat. It had been ages since she'd gotten to fly something larger than a mini bi-plane. This helicopter was heaven. She was bound and determined to enjoy her few hours of quiet time, because she knew that as soon as she landed... all hell would be breaking loose.
Trowa frowned. Duo had dropped them off at Trowa's house before the new parents had headed home. Delana'd dropped Cathy off... a sleepy Cathy who'd immidiately fallen into bed. And Quatre had showered quickly and changed into pajama bottoms.
"What's wrong?" Quatre asked, coming up behind him, arms going around a lean, tan waist. Quatre peeked around his husband to look out the screen door and frowned as well. The porch light was on, and Quatre could see the outline of a shiny black SUV pulling into the driveway.
First the driver door opened, then the passenger door.
It took Quatre's sleepy brain a moment or two to process what he was seeing.
"Relena!" He exclaimed, and ducked around a shocked Trowa. The blond man rushed out the door, down the porch steps and caught the woman up in a bear hug.
"Relena, what in the world are you doing here?"
"Quatre! I missed you. Heero... Heero thinks someone is out to kill you!"
"Kill me?" Quatre blinked. "Heero? What's this about?"
"I don't know all the details," the half Japanese soldier said. "All I know is there is some kind of plot with Tsubarov, Quinze, Duke Dermail... and Dekim Barton," he whispered the last name.
"Barton?" Quatre blinked, looking back to his husband. "But... what does he have to do with anything?"
"Apparently, alot," Heero replied. "Is there somewhere we can talk alone?"
Trowa'd been listening, curious. He had no idea what was going on. He knew these two... he'd seen them twice, he thought. Once when he first met Quatre... he didn't remember that, though. It had came back in a few fuzzy dreams of dancing in a club, but nothing concrete. And he'd seen them before Quatre got on the plane with him. And of course, Quatre had talked about them before. And of course he knew about his grandfather. But all these other names he had no clue about. And what did this Heero know about his grandfather anyway?
"You can use the study," he put in. "Ms. Darlian, isn't it? Why don't I offer you some tea? I think we could all use a bit of caffine right now."
"That would be lovely," she nodded. She gave Quatre a quick hug. "Love you, Cat," she whispered.
"Love you too, 'Lena."
"That's silly," Quatre said, some few hours or so later. "You think someone is going to be able to steal Zero from us? Only you and me know the codes to access it. Well, and Jezzy."
"Who all knows the location?"
"You, me, Jezzy. Zechs knows that it's in New York, but not exactly where at. Oh, and Iria. Iria knows."
Heero nodded. "Yeah. But the thing is, Quatre. All they really need is me. They'll be trying to capture me. No one knows that you've piloted WING. As far as anyone is concerned, Heero Yuy and Jezebel Hartisan are the only one's who have."
"And with Jezzy gone... that leaves you. If you're right, Heero, then you're in mortal danger. As am I."
"We have an advantage that they don't know about yet," Heero said slowly.
Quatre's eyebrow lifted. "Really? What advantage?"
"Jezzy," Heero replied softly. "She's alive."
Quatre blinked once. Then twice. "What?"
"Jezzy's alive," Heero repeated. "I mean, she was in disguise at the time I saw her. She's the one who gave me all that info. She's been undercover in Tsubarov's house as a maid."
"Heero... are you sure it was Jezzy? Maybe it was some kind of trick. Jezzy... she's dead. You went to her memorial service."
"Her body was never found," Heero hissed.
"Because she was at ground zero. There was *nothing* left of that part of the warehouse."
"I don't know how," Heero said, bringing sapphire eyes up to aqua ones. "I don't know why. All I know is that she's alive, Quatre. Trust me. It was her. I've raised her since she was eight years old. I know her face. I know the bones beneath it, I know the tone of her voice, the tilt of her lips; she's my sister... I know... and she's alive. Trust me on this. It was her."
Quatre blinked, then wrapped his arms around his friend. "If you say it was... then I believe you," he whispered.
*bring-bring-bring*
Quatre almost jumped at the sound of the phone going off. What...
"Who's calling at this late at night?" he pondered.
"Technically it's morning," Heero pointed out. It was twelve fifty six.
"Point made," Quatre conceded as the ringing cut off. He walked out the door, curious, as he searched for his husband. Surely nothing was wrong with Meilan or anything.
"...are you talking about, Mama?" Trowa was saying as Quatre and Heero came into the kitchen. Relena was sitting at the bar, blinking in curiosity.
"No. Yes, he is. Oh, yes, them. They WHAT! Mama! You did what.... oh." He laughed, that sudden anger and tension draining away a bit. "Yes, yes. I can."
"Heero, isn't it?" Trowa questioned. Heero nodded, and Trowa held the phone out. "Cecilia wants to talk with you. Oh, and when you're done... we'll have a little talk about you threatening my family, kay?"
Heero cautiously took the phone. "Yes?" He listened.
"Heero, right? Do you happen to know a young girl, about twenty years old or so. She's got blond hair and gray eyes? A sweet young girl. She... she's claiming that she's your sister."
"Jezzy?" Heero's breath caught.
"That's the name she's giving us. I must tell you. You're family certainly needs a few social guidelines written down in like a manual or something. I don't appreciate having my entire house woken at twelve thirty at night by a helicopter landing in my horse pasture!"
There was a scuffling sound, as if two people fighting over a phone, and then a blessed voice. It chattered in Japanese at him.
"Heero. I have no idea where you found these people, but I really like them. Especially the little one. She tried to attack me with a bow and arrow. Can you believe that? I managed to trip her and take the thing away before she could hurt anyone, though. Smart kid. Bit young, but boy does she have potential."
"Recruiting the locals?" he finally asked, managing to get a word in edge-wise.
"Of course. They're never too young to start!"
"Whatever. Jezebel, what the hell are you doing here?"
"My cover was blown by that sleazebag Quinze. I was going to rendezvous with Mama and Papa, but I decided to drop here instead. I have a very bad feeling, 'Ro. Something very bad is going to happen. And I refuse to just stand by and watch."
"We'll talk about this later. Stay at the Maxwell's house. I'm coming there."
"Gotcha, big brother. Jezzy, out!"
Heero sighed as he set the phone down. "Relena. Come on. We're going back to the Maxwell's house."
"What?"
"Jezzy is there."
"Jezzy?" Quatre asked. "She's here in town?"
Heero nodded.
"I'm going with you!" Quatre said.
"Me, too," Trowa added. "I want to know exactly what happened earlier."
She looked just the same as always, Quatre thought when he walked into Cecilia's house to see the girl sitting in the living-room. Her hair was a bit longer, reaching well past her thighs now. And there was a slim, ragged red line running down her face, next to her left ear, running from hairline to halfway down her neck. Quatre knew there were probably more scars where he couldn't see, but even that one was bad enough. It was more than enough reminder of what had happened.
Her jeans were hung low on slender hips, her blue tank-top baring her midriff. A silver chain held a pair of dog-tags. Tags Quatre knew where Heero's. Just as he knew Heero's said 'Odin Lowe' on them. Also, a thin little circle of silver... a locket... resided on the same chain. A Celtic knot design on the front of it. Quatre also knew there'd be writing on the back of it.
She tossed her arms around him, her ponytails streaming behind her as she dashed across the living-room at warp speed. "Quatre," she exclaimed. "I've missed you."
"Missed you more," he replied, whsipering it into her hair. He got a laugh for that. "Jezzy. You still have it..."
She nodded, leaning back a bit. "Always have. Told you I'd protect it with my life, and I will."
Quatre hugged her back.
"Ow," she whispered in his ear as it felt like her ribs would crack under the pressure.
"Sorry," he murmured sheepishly.
She laughed, leaning back. "Oh, Quatre. I've missed you all so much. You and Heero and Iria and *all* of you.... Relena!" She spotted the honey haired girl behind Quatre and abruptly released one blond in favor of the other.
"Oh, my God," Relena murmured, hugging the other girl for dear life. "I can't believe you're really alive. Heero said you were, but I...I mean... just..." the tears started to fall.
Jezzy pulled back and wiped the woman's tears away with her hand. "Shh. I just want to thank you for taking care of my brother while I wasn't here," she said. "That means alot to me."
"I'll always take care of him," Relena whispered back. "I love him just as much as you do."
"That's good," Jezzy returned, then turned her attention to her brother. She dashed forward, arms flung wide. Heero caught her up in a bear hug, twirled her around once, then twice, then set her on the floor again.
"Heero," she whispered happily against his chest. She'd missed him. Missed being able to hear his voice. Missed having him hug her, missed the way he talked through missions with her. She missed him... so much.
She laughed, looking up. Gray met blue. "Hey, 'Ro? You know what this means don't you?"
"Hn?"
"The 'Three Blonds' are back together! Your life will be a living hell!"
Heero laughed slightly at the reminder of the ages old joke. Relena, Quatre, and Jezzy. All three blonds that, when together, were unstoppable.
"I look forward to it," he said, meaning every word.
"Cecilia? Hilde? Delana? Hey! What's going on...."
Everyone in the house turned to the open front door. A young man, bronze hair and kind brown eyes, stood, staring into the house, confused.
"Jasper," Cecilia said, coming over to him. "Everything's fine. We're just having a little get together."
"At one o'clock in the morning?" Was the arched reply. "And did you know there is a helicopter out in the paddock?"
"Yes, we did. Jasper... I believe you already know Quatre, who's staying with Trowa?"
"Yes."
"Well, This is Relena, Jezebel and Heero. They're friends of Quatre. There's nothing to worry about. Everything is fine."
Jezzy leaned back from Heero. "We really have to do something. We can't just stand around and wait for something to happ..."
A light melody filled the air. All eyes turned to Quatre.
"Are you going to answer that?" Relena questioned.
Quatre pulled out his cell phone. "Quatre Winner speaking," he answered. "Zechs. Yes of course I... what?" QUatre's face paled. "No. No... what? No that can't be... No... she..." The phone slipped from his loose fingers, hitting the floor and breaking into about three different parts.
"Quatre?" Jezzy was there in an instant, Trowa there not a moment behind her.
Trowa's arms wrapped around him as Quatre's knee's gave out, and Trowa was the only thing that kept Quatre on his feet.
"Iria," he whispered. "My sister.... Iria.... she's... dead."