Author's Note: First I have to apologize for the lack of plot in this chapter. I don't want to give the impression that I've lost the thread of the wider story or become uninterested in it but considering how long and how many chapters it has taken to get to this point, I kinda just wanted to have a victory lap and enjoy the moment. I promise I have the story mapped out and we're going to be moving forward soon.

Part II

Bliss

Newport City, Sanc Kingdom

December 31st, AC 198

It was once the shining city upon the hill, a beacon to all the nations of the world. But those days were gone. Newport City wasn't quite the metropolis it used to be. The capital city of Sanc Kingdom had seen its share of battles. Despite most of those scars having been healed with the aid, funding, and support of the World Government, the lasting economic damage inflicted by the conflicts of the recent past has meant that the population of the city has remained stagnant since the days of Romefeller's invasion. Still, it was Relena's city. It was her birthright. Even if the kingdom no longer technically existed and the monarchy was nothing more than a piece of historical trivia with no legal powers whatsoever. She was entering into a new phase of her life, she wanted it to begin here.

The nightlife of Newport City wasn't legendary by any means. Certainly, it couldn't possibly compare to Paris, where she had received numerous New Years invitations from nightclubs and private parties alike. But Relena was determined to return to the Sanc Kingdom and spend New Years with her friends… and Heero.

Relena and her friends decided upon a club called Le Parloir. None of them had ever gone before but they had heard nice things and decided to make a reservation. The club was more than accommodating once they realized who they were talking to. Relena's friends requested that the club provide a separate entrance as to avoid the lines and the paparazzi. Relena felt guilty about utilizing her name for such things but at the same time didn't want her night to be ruined by meddlesome tabloid reporters. This was the first New Years she had been looking forward to in quite a long time.

Naturally, Heero didn't want to go. He said he would see her afterwards and that she should go have fun with her friends. It wasn't until after a lot of begging and whining and seeing her in her dress, that he relented and gave in. He said he would go under one condition and that was that he was going as her security. She rolled her eyes at the suggestion. So lame! But fine, she agreed to compromise.

The club was a massive repurposed 17th century tavern in the entertainment district of the city. Their limousine pulled into the back and Relena and company were escorted in through the service doors, away from the street. The interior had been completely renovated and hallowed out. The second floor was completely torn out to make the ceiling taller. The third floor was where their booth was. It was a smaller more intimate space. But the dancefloor could still comfortably fit about a hundred or so people. Their booth opened out onto a private balcony that overlooked the northern sea.

Relena wore a black satin plunge dress with matching black heels. Her hair was loosely curled and she had that kind of eye makeup that made her look like a porn star. Heero had only ever seen her look like that once before and it was on the night of their first kiss. But he supposed that's what girls did when they went out. And he had to admit, every time she glanced at him and gave him that come hither look sometimes accompanied by a wink, he felt weak.

She seemed to be having a good time by all accounts. She danced with her friends, she danced by herself, she even danced with a few other guys who turned out to be surprisingly respectful. And Heero enjoyed watching her dance. She was mesmerizing. Heero was as uncomfortable as he had ever been in his life. He didn't quite understand the appeal of the loud booming music, the flashing lasers, and the smoke. But maybe that's because he wasn't drunk. He had a couple of beers through the course of the night and but didn't try to keep up with everyone else. He had to keep an eye on Relena and how would it look if he got trashed and it was she who ended up having to take care of him.

Her friends played along with their little charade and treated Heero like the tough humourless bodyguard guy by making him hold random things, their purse, their bottles, sometimes their heels. Heero braved these indignities with grace. Even as Matilda came over a few and said:

"This is what you wanted, big boy."

But when the moment came, when the countdown began, Relena dropped all pretenses. She walked up to him, took him by the hand, and dragged him out onto the dance floor. They waited, staring deep into each other's eyes. Still awed by the fact that they were there together, about to ring in the new year. Neither of them were quite sure if this was real. It felt like a dream. They had wanted this for so long in some deep part of their mind that they still had a hard time accepting happiness. But this was happening, they could feel each other. This wasn't a dream.

3…

2…

1…

They kissed. They kissed like all of the other couples in the room. They kissed like couples all over the world had and were and were going to kiss that night. But their kiss was different. Their kiss was the culmination of a thousand torturous nights of loneliness and quiet suffering. Their kiss marked the end of that era.

Darlian House, The Hansa, Northern Germany

January 1st, AC 199

After dropping off Relena's friends at the hotel, Relena and Heero returned to Darlian House. It was in no condition to be lived in as the House ran on a skeletal crew of a butler, a maid, and a cook, all of whom had the day off. None of that mattered to them. In fact it was better that they were all alone in the house. They weren't going to be quiet. They weren't there to live. They weren't even there to sleep. They were there to fuck.

The seven days between Christmas and New Years Eve were an eternity for both of them as each day brought more desperate cravings than the last. Relena had only managed to make it through by herself crying to sleep by reminding herself of the thoughtfulness and sweetness of the Christmas present that he had come all the way to Paris to deliver. She kept it underneath her pillow for the duration of her stay in Paris. Heero on the other hand just had to continually pleasure himself and rely on sleeping pills to fall asleep during that time.

But it didn't matter now. They were finally together again. And not a second after the front door was slammed shut did he pick her up effortlessly by her thighs, pin her against the door, and stick his tongue down her throat. He was hungry. Luckily so was she. She helped him unzip his pants. She touched his cock. It was already rock hard. Perhaps it had been all night. He pulled her thong aside. Yes baby, do that thing to me. He felt her wetness upon the tip of his cock as he slid into her.

Relena wrapped her arms around his neck and moaned directly into his ear, adding fuel to his inferno of desire. She wrapped her legs around his waist and locked her ankles together.

"Yes, fuck me baby! Fuck me hard! Fuck me forever!"

He made her say bad words. And in turn she made him do naughty things.

"You have years to make up for! Make it up to me!"

He fucked like a machine, no hesitation, no mercy. Who the fuck needed mercy?! She needed this. She need this machine, more than she ever needed anything else ever.

They came together, in one glorious burst of euphoria. His fingers curled, tugging at the roots of her hair. A breathless moan squealed out of her. Her heels wrapped around his waist dug deep into his skin, adding herself to the tapestry of scars upon his body. The war claimed his body, it was time she claimed it back.

Their juices mixed. They were one in that brief glorious moment. They collapsed to the ground satisfied. But they knew that it would not last long.

They lay their on the floor in the foyer of Darlian House, their chests rising and falling in unison. They had never felt so fulfilled in their lives and to know that this wasn't over and there was no end in sight, that they could repeat themselves and love without fear, without consequence, was more than they could handle. The had lived years of their lives in a prison of their own making, to the point where they could no longer see happiness as even a remote possibility. To be here, in each other's exhausted embrace was a reminder of how foolish they had been, how cowardly they acted, how much time they had wasted.

After their breathing had slowed, Heero stood up, picked up Relena and carried her upstairs to the bedroom. They silently stated it no each other's eyes the whole time. Once they were up in her bedroom, the bedroom of her adolescence, Heero gently laid her down on the bed. Before he could rise and pull away, Relena wrapped her arms around his shoulders and dragged back and kissed him.

She massaged his lips with her own, gently and lovingly, for that's what he needed the most. That's what she sensed he desperately needed. He was always on guard, always alert, never had a moment where he could lose himself. Perhaps that was what was needed to fight a war, but she wasn't war. In fact she was the very opposite of that. She pushed up with her lips, he rose with her. And with a gentle shove they rolled and she mounted him.

Relena sat up and let his hands explore her body. His hands loved her skin, her softness, her warmth, her curves. She was utter perfection. Perfection that he was now allowed access to. Heero had to fight every instinct that he had instill in himself to allow him to enjoy her body. He had to constantly remind himself that this wasn't wrong and that she wanted his hands on her as much as he enjoyed the feeling of her skin on his hands. She took off her dress and revealed her naked form to his eyes. He was instantly transfixed. The cold blue moonlight poured through the large windows of her room and contoured her angelic body. How could she possibly be his?

She leaned over and kissed him gently to reassure him.

"Yes, this is real…" she whispered softly. "And I am yours…"

"How… how can you be so perfect?" He asked as he squeezed her ass causing her to moan slightly.

She smiled and let out a joyful little giggle. "Well I have been going the gym pretty hard the last couple of months."

Her hands slowly began to unbutton his dress shirt. She pulled it open, revealing his sculpted chest, marred by scars, yet every bit as tragically beautiful as his broken soul, she thought. She leaned in and lay soft kisses on his neck, down to his collarbone, and on his chest.

"Besides… you aren't so bad yourself, mister," she said as her breath brushed against his chest.

She felt him starting to stir again. Apparently he wasn't a man that needed much down time. It was just as well as she figured she, now that their frantic first fuck was satiated, needed now desperately to make love to him. To make him feel loved. More than anything that's what she had longed to do for years.

She reached behind herself and took him into her hands and gently stroked him and squeezed him until he was hard. She used the tip of his cock to play with herself. She could feel her wetness drip onto him. How strange it was that just a month ago inexperienced she was in the realm of sex yet now felt so comfortable, getting him ready, and making herself ready as if she had been waiting and planning for this moment for years without realizing it.

He let out a tortured groan as he felt himself slide into her again, slowly and gently. He felt her hips rock up and down his length and back and forth. How warm she was. When he tried to thrust into her, she pinned her hips down on him and kissed him, long and hard until he stopped.

"Shh… not now, my love," Relena whispered. "There will be plenty of time for that."

She moved again, even slower this but with ever more purpose, ever more love.

"You have protected me, taken care of me, loved me from afar… for too long." She kissed him again. "Now… let me protect you, take care of you… love you."

The Supreme Assembly, Brussels

January 4th, AC 199

There was no press this time. The hallways of the Assembly were mostly clear and everyone was going about their business paying no attention to Une and Stephen as they made their way through the first floor hallway towards their meeting location. The new year always brought with it a sense of urgency and a new vigour to those who worked for the government. Consequently, last year's scandals were usually quickly forgotten or brushed aside, and if failing that, dwelt with in the most cursory manner possible.

She even wore her Preventers uniform this time. She had to return to The Valknut right after. No one noticed her. Une and her lawyer met with the members of the Intelligence and Security Committee in a small windowless room in the west wing. There were no cameras this time.

She and her lawyer approached the bench and sat down.

"Thank you for meeting with us again, Director," Councillor Marcello Diaz said, this time in a morning agreeable tone than he did the last time.

"It's my pleasure," Une said with a smile.

"I'd first like to express, on behalf of all of us on this committee, our sincerest thanks for your testimony last week," Councillor Diaz said as he nodded to the other members of the committee. They nodded back in agreement."Furthermore, we would like to you to know how very grateful we are for the work and your contributions for maintaining world peace."

"Thank you, Councillor, that's very kind of you to say," Une said.

"And we would like to note that we understand the urgency and gravity of your current investigation," Councillor Diaz continued as he took a sip of his water. "You have provided concrete proof to your claims of illegal mobile suit production and enough supplied this committee with enough evidence as to the continuing nature of this threat. We don't mean to interfere or hamper your work. We're not questioning your motives or your resolve in this matter…"

Councillor Diaz paused for a second and looked over his thick-rimmed glasses at Une.

"It's your methods we are uncomfortable with."

"Councilor Diaz, as I have explained—"

"Please, Director, let me finish." He was finished. He deliberately waited for Une to start again just to cut her off. "We understand and appreciate the nature of the threats you deal with on a constant basis. But we are afraid that you are taking actions without consultation. We understand that due to your rank and your reputation such candid advice must be hard to come by. It has come to our attention that in the past, former Deputy Director Noin was your primary confidant. It would seem natural. You two came up in the war together. You have a great deal of respect for her."

"That's correct," Une said.

"However, ever since her transfer to Mars, you have left that position vacant." Councillor Diaz shuffled through his papers just to make sure that he had all of his facts straight. "Director Une, we're not here to punish you. But you do need a second in command to question and evaluate your decisions."

Une sat up straight and spoke loudly and decisively to the members of the committee. "Councilor, committee members, while I do not disagree with your recommendation, if I may speak freely, I don't believe anyone at the moment is qualified for the position."

"Be that as it may, Director," Councillor Diaz said with a hint of impatience in his voice. "You need to find someone to help you. Is that understood?"

Peacecraft Royal Palace, Sanc Kingdom

They had not left each other's side in days. After a night of torrid love-making at Darlian House, they returned to Peacecraft Palace the very next day only to continue making up for lost time. The staff made themselves scarce and the new couple found themselves giving into their passions everywhere. In the drawing rooms, in the kitchen, in the library, in the half of the unfinished bedrooms on the upper floors, in the private gym (in view of and against the mirrors in that room in the particular), in the unfinished pool, and yes finally, in her bedroom.

It seemed remarkable to them how easy it was to spend every waking moment of everyday in each other's presence and not get bored. How foolish they had been for denying themselves for so long. There was an unexpected freedom to their new expression of love, one that had been contained and refused for so long that they had almost forgotten how much utterly miserable it was to live without the other. It made them feel physically lighter as if something within them was bursting with infinite happiness.

Heero hovered over her like a canopy, protecting her from the world beyond. He was the shield that guarded his precious princess for all things in this life from now until eternity. His left arm, propping himself up as his fingers ran through her silky golden tresses. His back curved as his hips rhythmically drove into her pushing a soft moan out of her every time. His right hand played with her luscious breasts, teasing and playing with her nipple. She held onto him desperately and desperately by his thick mane as their lips danced their tender dance. Her legs wrapped around his waist as if to feel and absorb his power. Her left hand caressed Herculean abs as they undulated with every thrust. They were in their own private little heaven.

"Babe, babe," Relena whispered to him gently I between their kisses. "We're going to be late."

"Then I guess I'll have to make it quick", Heero murmured into her lips.

"You don't do quick," Relena giggled.

"Hnn… you're right"

Heero started to trail his kisses downward, across her cheeks, down her back and slender collar bone, grabbing a mouthful of breast along the way, down her smooth stomach, and finally in between her legs.

"Wait no," Relena panted frantically, "That's not what I meant ahh—"

But Heero didn't or wasn't interested in listening. He just needed an excuse to taste her again. He had become obsessed. He loved the feeling of being in between her quivering thighs as they periodically locked up into iron chains around his head and his shoulders. Royal decrees of don't stop and yes, just like that came from her gentle lips as he dutifully serviced her.

She ran her fingers through his thick brown hair and gripped them hard pulling him deeper into her. It was thrilling to treat him like a toy, like a servant. He was usually so strong, so naturally dominant that his willing and eager submission was unexpected but ultimately very erotic.

Oh my God… is this what I've been missing?!

It was fun for him. And it was a way for him to express his love for her without words, which he had always had trouble doing. His fingers explored her, probing deep and finding her weak spot while his tongue did the constant work of keeping her on the edge of ecstasy. And when he finally felt like it, when her squirm and writhing was just right, as he felt her muscles tense and lock up, he would pressure her harder allowing her release and cum into his mouth.

She was always a little embarrassed about it afterward, sometimes hiding underneath the duvet or her hair with just her doe eyes peeking out at him. Be he loved the taste of her and he loved wearing her across his chest and shoulders for when she came, she came a lot.

"You're amazing…" she whispered breathlessly as she watched him rise from behind her legs, still quaking a little.

He simply smiled as he crawled back onto the bed and set himself down beside her. He kissed her deeply and slowly. His hand played with her body once again, teasing her nipples, caressing her thighs, and once again slipped between her legs.

She pushed it away.

"Okay, now you're just showing off…" Relena said with a few giggle. "I'm serious, we're going to be late for class and we haven't even finished registering for classes yet."

Heero collapsed onto the bed and stares at her silently… adoringly.

"What?" She asked trying not to giggle. She was still getting used to seeing his eyes without the burdened seriousness that she had grown used to.

"Nothing…" he said softly.

"No, what?" She gently shoved him. "Tell me…"

"I don't know… I still can't believe it." Heero said with a smile. She loved his smile. "It doesn't feel real… I've suffered your absence for so long I had gotten used to the idea that I would never be happy"

"I know, I feel it too," Relena said softly.

She kissed his shoulder before resting her head there. She really wanted to rest her head on his chest but he still had her cum all over it. It was a bit annoying but he seemed to like wearing it.

"I'm surprised," Heero said.

Relena suddenly sat up and looked at Heero. Her eyes burned with an intense annoyance.

"Heero, if you thought I wasn't suffering everyday without you," Relena said emphatically, "then you're an idiot."

Heero stared back at her.

"I was a big idiot."

She didn't disagree. But she couldn't scold him for it. She wasn't angry anymore. She just wanted to love him now. She leaned over and kissed him again.

The Valknut, Brussels

Nolan Sideris was the type of guy that would have been on an Alliance recruitment poster 20 years ago. With his square jaw, dirty blonde crew cut, wide shoulders, slim waist, and thick arms, he was the quintessential Alliance soldier. And for a while he was. He had been a member of the Specials and had taken part in, Operation Daybreak, the revolution against the Alliance orchestrated by Treize Khushrenada. When Treize stepped down as the leader of OZ, Nolan deserted as well and joined up with the Treize faction months later. When Duke Dermail was assassinated and Treize rose to power once again, Nolan was among the few of the Treize faction who defected back to OZ and Romefeller. He took part in the final battle against the White Fang and witnessed the destruction of Libra first hand. After the war, he retired from active service and was only joined the Preventers when Director Une found him in a bar in Cambodia a couple of months after Mariemaia's Rebellion.

Expanding the jurisdiction and functions of the Preventers, Une needed experienced men to help her run the organization. And as OZ had scrapped their Clandestine Services Division long before their rise to prominence, Une had to resort to recruiting soldiers rather than spies. Still, Nolan took to the task quite enthusiastically and had built up a team of agents who were capable and disciplined.

Nolan had also put together a Special Operations Task Force for clandestine tactical operations, comprised mostly of men he knew from back in his days in OZ. This was the team that Une and Hope would've originally used for the Lucio mission if it had not been Heero and Duo.

Nolan waited, tapping his foot nervously, in Une's waiting room. He had received a cryptic text message from Une ordering him to meet her there. About half an hour later, Une arrived. She said a few things to her secretary before he signalled to Nolan to follow her into her office.

She dropped her bag down on the couch in the back of her office, took out her tablet and moved to her desk. Nolan followed behind her but did not sit down in the chair when Une sat down. Une didn't take notice as she logged into to her computer.

"I need everything you have, every bit of chatter, every intercepted email, every shipping log you have on suspicious activity in the L3 region," Une said frankly without so much as a glance in Nolan's direction.

"What?" Nolan exclaimed. "Wait, hold on just a second—"

"I'm folding your investigation into mine," Une said, cutting him off.

Nolan was stunned and said nothing for a few seconds. It took him that time to realize what she was saying.

"So… It's come to this," Nolan said as he relaxed a bit.

"Don't gloat," Une said.

"I'm not gloating, I'm just saying…" Nolan couldn't help but smirk. "I heard the rumours over the holidays but I didn't think they'd actually slap you with a babysitter."

"You're not my babysitter."

"No, no, of course not," Nolan said as he almost burst out into laughter. "I'm more like a consigliere."

"Nolan!" Une slammed her hands down on the table and stood up. For the first time during that entire conversation, she actually looked at him. He immediately backed down.

"Okay fine…" Nolan said cautiously. "You can have my files and my assets. But under one…" condition.

"Hope?" Une asked softly.

"Yeah…"

Vustgaarde University, Sanc Kingdom

His fingers gripped her ass as she bucked her hips forward and backwards in a frantic rhythm deserving of their current venue. The fog on the windows obscured any onlookers and they did their best to keep quiet but it was quite thrilling nonetheless to know that just outside their car they could hear the shuffling and faint conversations of dozens students at a time moving past them in all directions.

When they were close they locked their lips together in passionate kiss and moaned into each other's moans. If it had done anything to muffle their passion was questionable but it was undeniably intimate and surprisingly hot so they didn't really care.

Relena rolled off of Heero languidly, their breathing heavy and in sync. They turned their heads towards each other and gently kissed away the residual glow of their orgasm. She could feel him dripping down her leg. They were both sore at this point but neither of them knew how to stop. Heero partially understood that this was just what happened at the beginning of new and exciting relationships but even he was surprised by his own lack of control when it came to her. In the back of his mind he feared that his hunger for her would know no bounds and that he would end up hurting her. But he couldn't concentrate on that now, he would just have to mitigate those desires and focus on her pleasure.

He watched as Relena finally sat up, her hair a damp mess with her wondrous tits hanging freely as she fumbled and pulled out her clothes from underneath his reclined seat. She looked hot as hell.

"We're so late," Relena said, still sounding rather out of breath as she slid into her black bra.

"It's the first day of class," Heero said casually, showing no sign of wanting to get dressed just yet.

"Yeah, exactly!" Relena said as she slapped his thighs, trying to get him to get moving.

She picked her thong and looked at it. Of course he had ripped it. She gave him squinted her eyes and shot him a nasty glare before she reached for her backpack. Knowing that this was likely to happen, she had packed an extra. She out a fresh pair of panties out of her side pocket, immediately drawing Heero's attention.

"Wanna go again?" he asked.

"No!" Relena let out a princessy whine as she slid into her new underwear.

Heero watched as her long slender legs entangled themselves with the delicate fabric. It would be so easy… His imagination went wild but he restrained himself before his imaginings became actions. He needed to be a little more vigilant about his behaviour now.

"Just figure out which classes you're interested in and I'll register tomorrow," Heero said as he leaned back against the seat.

"Don't you want to take something you're interested in?" Relena asked as she put on her pink t-shirt.

"Until I receive orders to the contrary, I'm still technically supposed to be shadowing you around campus, making sure you stay out of trouble," Heero said.

"Babe..." Relena said with a mischievous smile as she leaned into him. "You are my trouble."

She kissed him again.

"Seriously," Relena said as she rolled back into the passenger seat of the vintage Rolls-Royce they had borrowed from her father's collection. "Isn't there something you're interested in learning? We have three and a half more years here. I want you to make the most of it and not just follow me from class to class the whole time."

"Are you tired of me already?" Heero asked with a hint of a smirk.

"I could never get tired of this," Relena said seductively as she ran her index finger down the length of his semi-erect cock causing it to twitch. "I'm just saying, university is a time to learn and explore new things. I know… I understand it was probably never a part of your plans. But hey, neither was I, right?"

Heero finally sat up and grabbed his black boxer-briefs off of the dashboard. "I don't know. I feel like I know enough already."

"Of course you do, smarty pants," Relena said rolling her eyes. "But you don't know everything."

"I know the things I need to know," Heero said as he slid into his underwear and reached for his jeans.

"Seriously, Heero," Relena said sounding a little more serious as she pulled her black leggings on. "Don't waste this opportunity."

Heero sighed. "Okay, I'll think about it."

Relena put on her shoes and opened the door of the car, letting the steam that they had built up escape into the cold January air. She grabbed her black leather jacket out of the back seat and through it.

She leaned back into the car and said, "well I think I'm going to take a dance class. Let's see you follow me there."

In the months that he had been in Brussels, Duo had never actually stepped foot inside her office. He had only ever seen the reflective glass box that hung overhead from the outside as he made his way into the building. He knew where it was, how to get to it. He knew that was where Une worked, he knew that all major decisions about The Preventers ultimately came from that room. But he had never actually seen the inside. Until now.

It was as cold and austere as he had expected. Une wasn't the type to have frivolous decorations and knick knacks adorning her workspace. He felt a distinct chill creep down his back as he sat there across from her, the overcast light of that January day came pouring through the impossibly tall windows, partially blinding him and obscuring her face. He tried to contain his nerves but there was something about sitting there across from her in that silent and sterile box of an office that made him feel like he was about to get in trouble with the headmaster. Not that he ever went to a regular school.

"Where were you?" It was an innocent enough question, but she asked it with such intent and such weight that Duo couldn't help but tense up a little.

"I was… a little hungover." Somehow he thought it would be worse if he told her what he was actually doing.

"I thought Heero took care of that," Une asked.

"Yeah… I ended up having a couple of drinks on my own after he left." Duo continued with his lie.

"Duo…" Une said in an unexpectedly compassionate voice. "Am I going to have to worry about you?"

"What?!" Duo exclaimed incredulously. "No! It was just the holidays. I was just letting off some steam. That's all. I got it all out of my system. I'm ready to work."

Une sighed and leaned forward slightly. "I'll ask again. Do you need help? Some time off? Do you need to go back to your home colony for a bit?"

Duo looked at Une for a moment. Her voice was softer than usual. He was thrown off by her sudden compassion.

"No… I'm good, I swear," he said.

Duo wasn't quite as stubborn as Heero or Wufei or event Trowa. In fact it was a hallmark of his personality that he openly embraced his humanity and never understood himself to be nothing more than just another one of God's wretched creatures. Still, when it came to admitting weakness, in the face of sudden, and in his mind, undeserved compassion, a part of him immediately stiffened up and rejected the notion entirely. He may have been a fuck up, no question about that, but he wasn't weak. And he certainly didn't need help.

"Okay, good," Une said returning to her usual demeanour. "I expect to see you hear bright and early every morning. No excuses."

"Yes sir," Duo said.

"And Duo…" Une said as she looked up from her screen. "When I tell you to be somewhere next time, I expect you to be there."

The Upper House Hotel, Hong Kong

It was 4 o'clock in the morning when Vincent decided that he would like to go for a quick swim. He expected no one to be up at that hour. That's exactly what he wanted, to be alone for a while. He arrived at the rooftop pool to the ambient sounds of the city at night. It was dark, but he could see perfectly well considering how much of the city was still awake at that hour.

As he dropped his towel on a bench nearby, he heard the sound of water being displaced a figure approach from the otherside of the pool. It was a woman. As the figure reached his end of the pool, he watched as she got out. Water dripped from her slender curves as she got out. Her revealing teal one-piece cutout bathing suit immediately drew his attention. But he knew than to stare. That's how she always got the best of him.

"Kerestina," he said bitterly as he walked past her, deliberately avoiding her gaze.

"Vincent," she said as she took his towel and dried herself.

"What are you doing here?" Vincent asked.

"I could ask you the same thing," she replied playfully.

"I thought I told you to get out," Vincent said.

"Yes… and I did," Kerestina said. "And I thought you were going to come with me."

"That's not what I said," Vincent replied.

"Yeah, it's not what you said," Kerestina admitted. "Does that make you feel better?"

"I don't feel anything," Vincent said coldly.

Kerestina huffed indignantly. "Yeah… I know that now."

"I told you… don't get attached," Vincent said.

"Oh fuck you Vincent…" Kerestina whispered.

"Why'd you come back?" Vincent asked.

"The old man offered me a job," Kerestina said as she sat down on the bench. "It's hard to say no to The Merchant. You know that."

"So you didn't come back because of…" Vincent said as he finally turned to look at her.

She stared back at him with those cold blue eyes. He could see the hurt that she usually hid so well slipping through.

"What do you think…" Kerestina whispered.

"I told you… you should've gotten out," Vincent said as he dove into the pool.