THE MEMORY

It wasn't so long ago that she was looking in another mirror. Relena was giving herself a pep talk. Looking at herself in the mirror over the set of sinks in the ladies' room, she took deep calming breaths as she spoke.

"You can do this" she tried to convince herself, "you're not a lovesick idiot anymore. He's not going to get the best of you this time. You can show him who's really the boss…"

That's when Dorothy Catalonia, her eyes gleaming, stepped out of one of the stalls and considered the Vice Minister's blushing face.

"And what has The infamous Commodore done this time?" she asked Relena slyly, as she washed her hands.

It was undoubted that the reference was to The Only Commodore worth complaining about. Heero Yuy. War hero, living legend. Stubborn, silent, decisive.

The War was over, and peace reigned. The Gundams were gone, but the pilots remained.

Chang Wufei had a vast future ahead of him and the successful Preventers. Quatre Winner has taken over his family's company and was redoubling their fortune in successful ventures. Trowa Barton had his circus, and the occasional mission, like Duo Maxwell was doing when he wasn't in the middle of some new community service. Heero Yuy had stuck to the military, and was, as expected, Perfect.

But there was no more war to fight. At least, not so much anymore. Which was precisely why the young man has been jumping at shadows, planning one contingency to the next, driving his charge Relena mad, for it was him who was put in charge of her safety.

Relena scowled at her reflection. Beside Dorothy, she felt like a wallflower. Plain, and stern-looking. The woman beside her, on the other hand, was vivacious. Threatening. Daring men to go after her.

You're the Vice Minister, she comforted herself, you should be above this…

But she was also just a girl.

"Commodore Yuy just re-routed my planned course for the Goodwill Tour" Relena complained, "he made fifty million detours, and skipped several stops"

Dorothy dried her hands, looking thoughtful. "Man's concerned, Relena. What would you have him do?"

Relena started. "Concerned? About me, you mean?"

"Always has" Dorothy said, fishing in her bag for her make-up kit.

Relena's heart soared at this piece of news. "You think he likes me?"

Dorothy's eyes gleamed in that threatening way again. "No. Of course he doesn't. Yuy doesn't like anyone, Relena. Least of all you. It's just that he's worked too hard to let anyone kill you now and ruin everything"

Relena counted to ten, to calm herself. You're a trained diplomat. People quiver at your feet. She's just a nosy nobody… Dorothy sealed her make-up case and walked out of the room, winking at her.

"Bitch!" Relena muttered, angry more at herself.

Angry because she was always so gullible, especially when it came to Heero. Angry that people like Dorothy saw it clear as day, and made fun of her.

She counted to ten again, took a deep breath.

"He's not going to get the best of me this time!" she said determinedly, putting on her Zero-Tolerance expression.

"Incoming!" Duo said cheerfully, hopping out of the examination table at the infirmary and grinning at the set expression on Relena's face.

"Get out, Duo!" she snapped.

"And they say you're a diplomat!" he teased. Duo, and Heero who was beside him, were wearing hospital gowns. He made a grab for his clothes, the black of them sharply contrasting the pure white of the place, set upon a chair, as he walked out of the room.

Relena stared at Heero, who looked undaunted, even in his presently scant clothes.

Just once, she thought miserably, knowing she was going to fail, I want to out-stare you.

"What happened?" she snapped impatiently at him.

"We were dispatched to diffuse some bombs" replied Heero matter-of-factly, "acting on a terrorist warning. One bomb had exploded, though no one got hurt. But the medicos wanted to test us for radiation"

She narrowed her eyes in irritation. "Damn it, Yuy. I came in here looking for an argument and you dare get injured and take all my anger away?"

"I'm not injured" he told her flatly, making her angry again.

Perfect.

There were few people left in existence that reminded Relena she was still very much a child at heart, and one of them was before her.

She wanted to either stomp her feet on the ground, or kick his face. But instead, she balled her fists at her sides.

"Do you know why I'm here?" she seethed.

Heero's brows rose slightly.

"Are you deliberately trying to irritate me?" she asked, enraged and disbelieving. "You know why I'm here! You know why I'm always here. You keep changing my plans, interfering with my work. You have no sense of priorities whatsoever—"

"Turn around" he cut her off.

Her jaw dropped. "What?"

"I'm going to dress up" he told her, already starting to tug at his clothes and therefore forcing her to immediately turn her back on him.

"You dare do this to me now!" she hollered, but kept her reddening face away, listen to the slight shuffling sounds he made as he slipped out of the hospital clothes and to his usual ones. "You're trying to distract me!"

She could have sworn she heard him snort. But it wasn't likely.

And before she could dwell on it, he said, "It's all right now"

She whirled at him, unintentionally slapping his face with her long hair. He looked momentarily stunned, and she made sure she laughed at his face.

"Say what you want and go" he told her, heading for the door, "Or I will"

"Oh, no you won't!" she insisted, "you haven't heard a word I said!"

"I've heard, Relena" he told her, "I've heard a million times. But my decision stands. The route is as I have planned it"

And with that, he left.

Now Relena stomped her feet on the ground.

She was a trained diplomat, and she turned grown men to mush. Why can't she do the same with Heero, the Oh Unflappable One?

Heero narrowed his eyes in thought, as Colonel Une dictated the new information her Preventers have come upon.

The group was very good at espionage, but as what occasionally happens, just came within a breath ahead of an impending disaster.

"The people who are behind the bombs call themselves the Order" said Une, "their leader is from a once-prominent family and comes by the name Princess Julianna. We have reason to believe she is only a figurehead, but as of the moment, she is the only one we have as their leader" she turned to Relena, who was also present in the meeting. "She shares your background, Vice Minister, if not your views"

"What do they want?" asked Relena, a frown marring her face, already too lined with stress despite her tender age of nineteen.

"She wants to be Queen of the World" said Une flatly, though there was deep sarcasm in her eyes.

A ripple of slight and nervous chuckling went through the serious crowd. The conference room in the Egypt base was made up of the President, the top brass, not to mention Heero Yuy (who seemed to be working outside the system), and the other Gundam pilots who have been temporarily snatched from their lives to be present in the pivotal meeting.

A lot of threats have come and go and were successfully contained. But today's attendance was proof of the dire situation, and just how much power the misled Julianna has already gathered.

"But obviously," pointed out Chang Wufei, who didn't find the irony the least bit funny, "she has amassed a viable number of forces to be a threat to us"

"Yes" agreed Une, "Which is why this meeting has been called. We need to make a decision. Should the Gundams rise again?"

The Gundams have been destroyed for several years now. It was an act of peace, turning away from the very idea of war.

And now...

"We're acting rashly!" Relena said, "Is this really necessary?"

"The Order has a very modern armament, Vice Minister" said Une, "but we have the best pilots. By propaganda alone, we could discourage them. The very daunting presence of a Gundam on our side can possibly cause defection from theirs, and should they choose to move forward, we can defeat them"

"Yes" said the President, "the idea is sound. But...only as a secondary measure. Negotiations must be attempted at, first and foremost"

"But that's hypocrisy!" exclaimed Relena, "do you mean to say that, while negotiating, we are simultaneously constructing new Gundams?"

"It's the only way" justified Une, "should the negotiations fail and war begins, we need to have the Gundams in ready use"

"What if we succeed?" pointed out Relena, "then the Gundams will be destroyed again?"

Une looked to the President. Such an act, while relevant, was also a pathetic waste of money.

"I thought so" said Relena under her breath, "hypocrisy, all of it!" she pressed her palms to the table, as if to help push herself to her feet to walk out, but she felt a stern but unobtrusive grip on her hand.

She flipped her head to face Heero, who was sitting beside her. His face was completely devoid of expression, and he was looking across the table away from her. But when she tried to break from his grip, he tightened his hold and she finally decided to relax.

"We shall tackle that problem when we get to it" said the President, "for your sake, Vice Minister, and for peace. But this is the taxpayer's money, not to mention the fact that new groups are coming out of the woodworks all the time. I wouldn't count on their destruction, but I couldn't completely rule it out either. Is that satisfactory?"

Relena's face reddened in embarrassment, noting the elderly President's gentle rebuke. "Only if it is to you, Your Excellency"

The President accepted the meekly worded apology with a nod.

"This meeting is adjourned" he declared.

Relena waited for the conference room to empty out, before she tore her hand from his grip, stood up and angrily turned to Heero.

"You have a lot of guts!" she retorted. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she was grateful that he prevented her from making a big mistake. But at the moment, it irked her that he knew so well that she would succumb to him.

"Sorry" he replied, irony scrawled over his features, not distressed in any way. She stared at him, marveling at how he had grown more handsome with age. The eyes were still world-weary if not nonchalant, but glowed with life and experience. He was taller now, and filled out his dress uniform with a magnificently lean built.

Heero was very good-looking, and seemed more aware of it as he grew older. After all, who could forget that much-publicized vandalism in the ladies' room that said very nice, very obscene things about the mysterious man last year? The commanding officers were in an uproar at the lack of discipline, and since no one would admit to the crime or tell on their fellow-officers, everyone was assigned to clean up the mess.

He has also become...more human as of late. Mystery of all mysteries. He was still a class of his own, but now with an occasional smile, some learned wisecracks (unavoidable for anyone who is in the constant company of Duo Maxwell)...some may even accuse him of charm.

It really irritated her that she was, despite her lofty station in life, reduced to a teenybopper whenever she was around him.

She sighed in defeat, but didn't want to be in close proximity with him, so she walked to the other side of the table.

"I suppose this means all the dates of my Tour are cancelled" she said airily, "in exchange for my imminent meeting with Princess Julianna. I'll trust you to take care of the details"

He rose leisurely and walked to the door. "I'm your head of security, not your secretary"

She balled her fists in frustration.

He opened the door to find several people pretending to be busy, after having listened in on the conversation of the intriguing non-couple.

Relena has been trying to ignore Heero for days; quite a feat, since he was always somewhere in the near vicinity, probably never more than ten feet away from her at all hours.

He, for all his arrogance, seemed completely unaffected by it at all. He's also taken to talking to anyone but her, from his brother officers right down to her aides and the infamous secretary. It annoyed her very much, that he was so thrifty with words whenever he was around her--which was very frequent as of late, because of their dire situation.

Princess Julianna had agreed to negotiations pending one condition: they be done in Order territory.

Heero was, typically, against the idea. But Relena would have none of it, and the President, in the name of peace, ultimately ruled in her favor. With the arrangement of the negotiations was a cease-fire, and the guarantee of absolute safety for the Vice Minister and her entourage. They knew the risks of what they were doing; anything even remotely resembling an accident could trigger a war, so it was made certain that Vice Minister Darlian wouldn't get into a plane crash, a fire, or slip on anything...it went on and on.

The Vice Minister's entourage arrived in the distant colony without incident, and were awaiting docking instructions.

Relena was in her quarters during that time, having just stepped off from the bathroom in her terry cloth robe. Absently, she shook at her hair and spoke to her maid: "Just leave my clothes on the bed, Myra. I can put them on myself--"

She stopped, seeing Heero Yuy's reflection on her vanity's mirror, and Myra nowhere in the room.

"I sent her out" said Heero, "I need to talk to you"

"Well that's a miracle" she snapped, before she could stop herself. It was infuriating!

He smirked a little, seeing the irony of it all.

"I'm waiting" she said flatly, crossing her arms over her chest.

While he was looking at her, he felt again that familiar sensation of unreality.

The girl he had once threatened to kill and now protected, the girl he once hated and now loved.

Heero Yuy didn't mind change as much as he used to. As a control-freak, he kept people at a distance and kept to himself and his mission. Come peacetime, he has seen too much to be bothered to be depressed about it all, since it was over anyway. It just wasn't practical, and Yuy was nothing if not utilitarian. He had moved on with the rest of his life, with surprising light-heartedness.

When his duties constantly pitted her against him, Heero started to realize that he could have her, if he only tried.

He already knew that she liked him; Relena wasn't bashful, or maybe just not deceptive enough. But she couldn't stand him anymore. Before, in her eyes, he was an enigma she was helplessly drawn to. Then, a hero. Now...a villain. A man she still liked, but not willingly. A man who stole her heart, but not give him his own.

Heero didn't know when it was, exactly, that he decided to pursue her, after all this time.

But he was already nineteen, and there was some living to do. And life itself, he saw in the fire in her eyes.

Like a soldier, he didn't bother to question the Imperative. He just had a mission, and he was going to succeed.

Heero regarded her with a pleasant expression on his face, taking extreme delight in her frustrations.

"What do you want?" she snapped, "I don't have all day, Yuy. We're docking soon, my hair is soaking, I'm wearing a robe--"

"Let them wait" he said with a wave of his hands.

"Damn it, Yuy!" she exclaimed, "Get to the point. I think I liked you better when you said nothing but The Point. Now, I don't understand you at all. You never used to like small-talk before"

"You never used to attend Women's Lib Movements before" he muttered, couldn't help himself.

"That has nothing to do with--"

"I came here," he said, cutting her off, "to tell you about that Ball in your honor tonight"

"Yes, what about it?" she asked arrogantly, toying with her drying hair. "Prince Elias shall be my escort for the evening. I trust you'll take care of the details"

Heero was irked at her tone, despite the fact that he knew she was deliberately trying to frustrate him as much as he frustrated her.

"He's not coming" said Heero flatly.

She was caught momentarily off-guard, but she always had a fine wit. "I'm sure I'll have no trouble finding a worthy substitute"

"I'm the substitute" he said.

She wrinkled her face at him. "From a Prince I move to you? Whose insane idea was that?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, causing her to turn away. "As a show of trust, you are not to bring bodyguards to the occasion. I can be that, while being your escort. It was approved by Une"

"I am not looking forward to this" she said, toying with her hair again.

"I'm no Prince, Relena. But I can keep you alive" He headed for the door.

"I'll probably die of boredom!" she hollered as the door closed behind him.

Or a heart attack she sighed to herself, when she was alone.

Princess Julianna was difficult to miss.

When Relena stepped from her flagship, she immediately spotted the woman with the timeless grace and class, standing amidst a gathered crowd of welcomers in the hangar.

Julianna was her age, according to their insiders. But she looked...different, somehow. Set apart from human beings. She was almost as tall as the now-six-footer Heero, with haunting black eyes, pallid skin and ebony hair that was in a simple, high ponytail. She had spunk too, and held her ground amidst burly men in her tailored slacks and blouse.

Brimming with confidence, she stepped forward and gave Relena blinding smile--she sighed inwardly in envy. Perfect teeth too.

"Vice Minister" she said, "It is an honor to finally meet you"

"And an honor to meet you too" Relena returned, making the other young woman laugh.

"Let's not mince words, Vice Minister" said she, "I wish it were different circumstances too, but I had to step forward and claim my destiny"

"You'll forgive me if I don't agree" said Relena, making her laugh again. Relena fully expected a tough bargain and a bitter clash, but this carelessness was a first for her.

"I trust you've received your itinerary?" asked Julianna.

"Yes" replied Relena.

"I hope you don't mind I took liberties" said Julianna, "Negotiations later, parties first. It's more fun that way. I shall leave you for a few hours to conduct my business. My aides will show you your rooms in my palace in the capital, where I shall meet you later for the Ball in your honor. Feel free to survey the grounds. If you have any questions, Vice Minister, I'll be willing to answer them"

"Won't you change your mind about this war?" blurted out Relena, wanting to catch her off-guard.

"No" said Julianna with another graceful laugh, "The only way peace will reign, is if United Earth Nation surrenders to me"

With polite farewells, the two women parted ways.

"This is a very beautiful palace" Relena commented to her guide, one Dominic Burke. He was a very handsome man, taller than Heero too, which probably was the reason why the Commodore decided to join Relena on her tour of the grounds. Of course, Heero convinced himself that he wasn't worried over the competition; he was just casing the area… However, it may have escaped his notice (though not Relena's) that he has already studied a map of the palace which he got from a bunch of mercenaries in preparation for their trip, in case they may need to make a quick-getaway.

Dominic smiled tightly at her. He seemed a very civil person, eyes crinkling with genuine amusement once in awhile, when he wasn't overly wary.

"We work hard to keep it that way, Vice Minister" he said.

She threw him a jaunty grin. "Please. Relena, when we aren't in official business"

He hesitated for a few moments, before favoring her with a glittering smile, luscious red lips moving as if trying her name on for size. "Relena."

"You have the most interesting of accents, Dominic" she pointed out.

It pleased her that he actually chuckled. "It's like none other you'll ever hear, Relena. My roots are parts of everything, and what appears as you see and hear now is a mix of all of these"

And a fine mix it was. His face was finely chiseled, and it seemed that if he stood still enough no one would be able to tell him apart from Michaelangelo's David. His hair was in a patrician cut; ash blond, perfectly complimentary to eyes a near-transparent gray of near crystal. If she wasn't so distracted by that delicious scowl Heero was sporting as she made him jealous, things could have been very different…

As the tour progressed, Relena learned that Dominic was Julianna's right-hand man. He was very humble about it all, referring to himself as "m'lady's aide" but as he opened up to her, Relena could tell that there was more there. Affection, loyalty, and undoubtedly, Julianna's trust.

He escorted them to their rooms, leaving them more than a few hours to get ready for the Ball in their honor.

Heero gave his suit one more tug, before raising his hand to knock on Relena's door.

The suit was of very, very fine fabric, but he found himself much more uncomfortable in it than he ever was in the considerably poorer quality material of his military uniforms. But tonight, he wasn't officially on-duty, so, as per the advice of the protocol officer, he wore the confining coat and tie.

He heard the door unlock, though Relena hadn't opened it for him.

Temptress, he thought fondly, knowing she was trying to bait him.

He saw just a teasing frill of her dress as she vanished to the walk-in-closet.

"I'll just take a minute, Commodore" she said, voice muffled. He wondered what she was doing, as next he had the sight of her bottom as she fell on all-fours, apparently looking for something. "Now where could they be…" he heard her murmur.

A smile played about his lips, sighting her bare feet.

Heero leaned down and picked up the dainty shoes on the side of the massive bed.

"Relena?" he called.

He saw her hands wave at him in dismissal. "Don't be so impatient, Yuy. I'm coming, I'm coming--"

"Looking for these?" he asked, making her head shoot up, stray strands falling to her face at the sudden movement.

She got to her feet, grabbed the shoes from his slackened hands. "Thanks" she grunted, as she sat on the bed and started putting them on.

She couldn't even notice his shock upon seeing her.

He was surprised to see that the Vice Minister has abandoned her usual set of conservative clothing to favor this…comparatively daring number.

Gone were the puffy or swirling skirts of old. The entire dress, save for some light trail by her feet, clung to every curve of her body. The burgundy gown seemed to last forever as she wore it, graceful in a sleeveless turtleneck, though her back was almost completely bare. Her shoes no longer seemed dainty now…they were provocative. In that same dark, bold red, tender straps up to her ankles. Her hair was down, and was delectably disheveled from her search of the shoes.

"Honestly, sometimes I just never know where they place them" she said as she looked up at him earnestly. There was something her eyes there. "Well. Look at you"

He cleared his throat self-consciously, knowing that the fastidious and hopelessly uptight valet the protocol officer got for him did a good job. Heero was always perceptive, and he was more than ever aware or how women reacted to him now. He usually took it in stride; but the bare, unforgiving admiration in Relena's eyes made him uncomfortable.

"What?" he asked testily, not enjoying her scrutiny.

"Nothing" she said lightly. She got to her feet, tilted her head a little as she looked at him, then to his consternation, actually reached over and straightened his burgundy tie (apparently, the valet thought to coordinate their clothing).

Julianna was a gracious host, if she was anything. She entertained well, was very sociable and had people easily eating out of her hands.

It was an interesting party between two perspective enemies.

Relena, temporarily torn from Commodore Yuy's side as she was enticed by Dominic Burke into dancing a waltz, chuckled to herself.

Dominic looked down at her, silver eyes glittering. "I think I share your humor"

"It's an odd party, isn't it?" she commented, "several days ago we were terrorizing each other. Today we meet in a room and dance and eat and chat. Tomorrow we do battle in a tough negotiation, and if that fails, possibly go to war. And yet, here we are"

"M'lady…is an odd person too" Dominic said wistfully.

"How long have you known the Princess?" asked Relena, glancing at the woman in question, who, if her eyes were not fooling her, seemed to have averted her gaze just as Relena looked her way.

"Since we were children" Dominic replied, "she's a sharp one. I do not want war either, Vice Minister. Make sure you convince her well"

This surprised Relena. "And yet you stay by her side"

"As I always will" said Dominic with quiet conviction, "but it doesn't mean we'll always be right. I promised myself I would protect her, but it seems I missed some things, and some very influential people succeeded in misleading her"

"Are you trying to tell me something?" Relena asked, lowering her voice.

Dominic hesitated with giving too much information. "All I say is be wary. And Julianna is not your enemy. She is but a pawn in this, though she is too proud to admit it" Dominic gave her a blinding smile, in contrast to his warning, and pulled her tighter to him as they swayed in time to the music. "Don't look so grave, Vice Minister. People might become suspicious"

She tilted her head at him, gave him a sweet, genuine smile. "I told you to call me Relena, Dominic."

After Dominic left her side, Relena mulled the cryptic message over in her head, grabbing her nth glass of champagne. She wasn't usually a heavy drinker, but something about the situation made her nerves taut.

A lot of people stopped by to chat with her, but she made it obvious that she didn't want company, and was quickly and politely left alone with her thoughts. She also started to realize that the wine was making her blunt and snap at people, so she stepped out of the massive ballroom and headed to one of the balconies on the floor.

She looked up at the stars winking down at her, making a wish, wondering about her future. Her thoughts were drifting, shooting off in fifty million incoherent directions as the wine took effect.

She giggled to herself, though she was annoyed over what she has gotten into.

What an embarrassment to the United Earth Nation, she thought fleetingly, their ace diplomat. Drunk out of her mind.

She sighed in resignation, knowing she must not shame herself, though at the same time not caring if she got caught. She was all of nineteen. She was a diplomat, not a detective. She was built to tame enemies face-to-face, not making guesses at who they were.

She sat on the railing, then threw her legs off the side so that they were dangling thirty feet from the ground below. The wind was rustling at her hair, her dress, her face.

She giggled again, feeling mischievous.

Heero would just love to see this, she thought, swinging her legs gleefully, finishing the rest of her champagne.

He didn't know whether to laugh or shout at her.

But the feeling was the same, either way. He did like seeing her like that.

He glanced at the provocative shoes on her feet as she swung them carelessly, like a child. He couldn't see her face, though the thought of her immature antic was enough to make a smile tug on his lips.

He was just removing his coat to offer to her, when fireworks lit the evening skies in bursts of color and life.

"Oh, pretty" he heard her comment as she clapped her hands, making her drop the champagne glass down below.

A soft crash, followed by a bellow from one of the soldiers on patrol.

Heero grabbed Relena by the arms and dropped her on her rump on the floor as he peered down at the guard below.

"I'm sorry!" he called out, "Is anyone hurt?"

The soldier's eyes widened, for he had excellent eyesight and recognized Commodore Heero Yuy, who not only deserved respect as the Princess Julianna's guest, but also in his own right as a living legend of a soldier.

"Just be more careful, sir!" he hollered back. He wasn't supposed to have said 'sir', but to a man like Heero Yuy, it seemed a reflex action to be referred to as that.

Heero pulled from the ledge, and regarded Relena thoughtfully as she looked up at him from her bangs. The fireworks were giving her upturned face a glow of different colors.

"Drunk" he commented flatly.

She nodded enthusiastically. "Very much so. Would you help me up, My Commodore? The stilettos are disagreeing with me"

He didn't want to show it, but he was more than pleased over her endearment, the use of 'my' alongside his title.

He hauled her up, only to have her sag against him.

He sighed. "What am I going to do with you?"

"No contingency plan?" she teased, wrinkling her nose at him.

"There always is" he told her gruffly, sweeping her off her feet and into his arms.

"What are you doing?" she asked, looking both pleased and horrified.

"We'll move faster this way, and avoid detainment" he reasoned, "And we'll do it while everyone else is watching the fireworks"

They almost made it undetected, when Colonel Une, who was also a guest at the party and sported a gown of her own, cleared her throat from behind them.

Heero knew it was ridiculous, but he felt like a child getting ready for a reprimand as he turned around to face his superior with ill-kept chagrin. "Colonel"

"Commodore" she greeted, glancing at the oblivious Relena, who was looking up at the ceiling and at the walls of the impressive hall. "What the heck are you doing?"

"I'm delivering the drunken Vice Minister to her quarters" he replied tersely, shifting Relena's weight a bit.

Une narrowed her eyes in speculation, before releasing him to his self-appointed duty to be Relena's Keeper. "Very well. We'll speak of this later"

Heero turned and headed for Relena's room, feeling her giggle against him.

"You know," she said, "I'm not so very drunk as that. Really. I was just pretending I didn't notice her. She would have been mad"

"You are so very drunk as that, Relena" Heero muttered, stopping by her suite's ornate door. "Turn the knob, Vice Minister. A man has but two hands"

She carelessly threw an arm out and felt for the knob, turning it as he nudged the door with his side and they stepped in.

He flopped her down to the bed and removed her shoes.

"I can't believe you did this," he was saying as he tried to figure out the multitude of straps. Women. "and you have some very important tasks tomorrow too…" he succeeded with one shoe, and looked up to find her asleep.

He sighed again. He never used to sigh before meeting her.

He struggled with the other shoe, then placed both along the side of the bed.

Resignedly, he placed some spare blankets over her and tucked her in bed. Watching her saturnine face as she slept, he felt somewhat compelled to lean over and kiss her forehead.

"Good night, Relena" he murmured.

His face was still mere inches from hers when her eyes opened sleepily and her lips curved into a smile.

"I knew you'd do it, Heero" she said drowsily, "I just knew it. Good night, My Commodore"

The eyes closed again, and this time, she was asleep for real.

Relena was showing no signs of her rough night, as she confidently stepped into the Gathering Hall of the Palace.

It wasn't nearly as daunting as it sounded; the room was very baroque in extreme, classical elegance. Tall windows surrounded one whole side of the semicircular room, overlooking the grounds. There was a round table at the center, where one expected to be heard without concern for rank or prejudice.

There was one seat left empty, and that belonged to the Vice Minister.

"Good luck" Heero murmured, tearing himself away from her side to stand in the sidelines.

Damn, if he didn't make her feel as if she could do anything.

She sat down, and discreetly looked at the faces of her 'adversaries.' It was a good gauge of their moods, so she would know where she stood. But like her, they were well-trained and had unrevealing blasé expressions.

Almost, save for one.

Princess Julianna's eyes burned with a fire that Relena couldn't understand. It left her feeling suddenly very nervous.

The mediator was a neutral, reasonably experienced diplomat from one of the apolitical colonies. Roger Adsky was an aging man, a socialite, of about fifty years old. He had a very pleasant expression set on a chubby face lined by white hair, more than those on his balding head. He was a friend to both Relena and Julianna, and was the one who arranged the meeting.

He officially opened the meeting, and both sides gave all their demands, argued over concessions. But as hour after hour passed, Relena was getting frustrated, and Julianna was determined to hold her ground.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again," retorted Julianna, "our condition stands. The war will end if and only if United Earth Nation surrenders to us. Either way, I will become Queen of the system"

"Which you can be," argued Relena, "in a more proper manner. As I said, the Nation is willing to give you complete autonomy over this colony, as well as any other colony which would hold a vote if they want to join you or not. If consensus is yes, then you have no complaints from us"

"I am not settling for anything less"

"Even at the cost of lives?!"

"I've made up my mind"

"I've been a Queen once, Princess Julianna and it is not a walk in the park!" snapped Relena, "You cannot rule over people who are unwilling to submit in your power! Face it, Julianna. Monarchy is dying. People, with education, are learning to empower themselves"

Julianna frowned as she mulled this over. "Hmph. I can prove you wrong"

Relena threw up her hands in frustration.

"However," said Julianna wistfully, "I do have an idea that might be mutually beneficial"

"Enlighten me" Relena said, with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"Don't be snide" Juliannas scolded playfully.

Two aristocrats vying for the same thing can very easily lose professionalism.

"I'm listening" said Relena sternly.

"I can give you your peace, Vice Minister" said Julianna, "I can settle with autonomy. But there's a catch"

"Isn't there always?"

Julianna chuckled, though her eyes, again, seemed mysteriously angry. "I'll take your deal, Relena. If…you give me Heero Yuy to be my husband"

Relena's palms slammed down on the table before she could control herself. "Out of the question!"

Julianna looked smug, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then war it is. Damned if I'm not pleased!"

Relena counted to ten, caught her breath and her temper. "That is not my choice to make"

It seemed as if everyone in the room suddenly turned to the stoic Commodore, who showed no signs of his inner turmoil.

When he seemed not too inclined to reply, Julianna pushed herself to her feet and headed for the door. "I'll leave you no more than one week to decide. Then this meeting shall recommence, same time, same place, unless you arrive at a decision earlier"

Relena watched, feeling numb as she walked away, flanked by her suddenly anxious party.

"Julianna…" the gruff voice growled, when the two were finally alone in the Princess' bedroom.

She looked at the man defiantly. He didn't look daunting at all, General Trumble. He was a man of about fifty, with bland looks that were so easily forgettable. Pale blond hair, pale blue eyes. Nothing exceptional at all, but he got daunting when he wanted.

The General had a huge following, and was a valuable ally and advisor to her.

"I made up my mind, General" she said determinedly, tearing her gaze away.

"Doesn't mean it's the right one" he snapped, eyes narrowing in irritation before walking away.

Later, Relena found herself alone in her room, tiredly rubbing her hands across her face as she sat on the corner of her bed.

Why this? Why now?

Just when things were falling into place?

In Colonel Une's office aboard the flagship which was in orbit around Julianna's colony, Heero Yuy stood as if bravely facing a firing squad, which might as well have been the case.

Apart from Une's presence, the President as well as his entire entourage of advisors were on the communication net, participating in the meeting.

"She has made her demands official" Une was saying, looking at Heero warily, as if wondering what entered Julianna's mind. "Her decision seemed to have caught her own people just as off-guard as our own"

"But she couldn't back out on that anymore, could she?" asked the President.

"With her power, yes" replied Une, "but not with that pride"

The President nodded, as if thinking, Good, good, we've won this thing.

It was frustrating Heero. Wasn't anyone going to ask his opinion?

The President finally turned to him. "Well, Commodore. Do I have to stress on how important this is?"

"No" said Heero, knowing in his heart that it was.

The President gave Une a barely discernable nod, and was it Heero's eyes playing with him or did Une turn away and avert his gaze, as if she could not tolerate looking there?

"Do I have to make this an order?" she asked quietly.

"No" Heero replied.

No.

He fully understood Une's shame, later.

Everywhere Relena went he made sure he was elsewhere. And it seemed, from the steely way she looked at him every now and then, she herself knew that he had made his decision.

Heero found himself knocking on Julianna's door, that very same day.

She opened the door for him; it was redundant, really. He's been frisked and inspected, and announced by servants too. But Julianna seemed to enjoy playing with people.

She greeted him with a kiss, right there, right in front of everybody.

"You've agreed" she said slyly, pulling away from him. "I knew you would"

Women seemed to find him very predictable.

She led him inside and closed the door behind them.

"Why?" he spat at her the moment they were alone. They both knew he wasn't asking why she knew he would agree, but why she wanted this arrangement; wanted him.

She just laughed at him. "You're blinder than I am, after all, for all that military precision of yours. Really, Heero"

"Why?" he urged, stepping forward menacingly.

"You will not bully me into anything" she said primly, turning away from him.

He grabbed her by the elbows and pulled her into a deep, punishing kiss. He pulled away, leaving her breathless and stunned. "Did you enjoy it? Do you want the rest of our lives to be this way?"

She turned away, dismissing him. "As long as she is as miserable as I am"

And he didn't understand.

But knew he wasn't going to get anything else from her, for now.

So he left.

She knew he had already decided before he opened his mouth to say anything; reading his face took practice, and it was an exceptional skill of Relena's. But knowing his mind and his heart was another, and it was more that than his face which led to her conclusion.

He stepped into her suite unannounced again, standing straight by the door and watching her as she fixed her hair in front of the vanity.

This scene looks familiar.

"Have you set the date?" she asked blandly, studying her reflection.

"No" Heero replied.

"Have you bought her a ring?" she asked.

"No" he replied.

"Some groom you are" she sneered; couldn't help it.

"So" she said, breaking the silence, "What can I do for you?"

There was a strange expression on his face.

"I forgot" he said, leaving the room.

She looked down at her hands, linked together in anxiety when he had left.

"Don't be mad, Heero" she pleaded quietly, though he couldn't hear. "The less we like each other, the better"

A diversion came to Relena at just the right time.

The colony, which has been blockaded since its people decided to go to war, was being bothered by a ship in orbit.

Dorothy Catalonia had arrived, and she wanted in on the action.

Heero was trying his best to ignore her, but Dorothy made sure she was always no more than an arm's reach away from him.

He didn't want to insult her publicly, so he put up with her nuisance until the two of them were walking alone down the ornate halls heading for his suite.

"Scream to your heart's satisfaction, Heero" she said cheerfully.

He scowled at her. "Since you know how annoyed I am, why do you bother to stick around?"

"It's fun" she replied lightly, "besides, a wedding's coming, right? I'm sure there are a ton of things you haven't handled"

"I don't plan on handling a thing" he snapped, "she wants to get married, she'll fix what needs fixing"

Dorothy tsked. "Why, Heero? Too painful for you to handle?"

"In case you missed it, maybe this just isn't the way I planned things" he retorted, "but no, not really. Not even that. I've been too busy"

"You've got other duties, right?" said Dorothy, eyes aflame. Heero didn't know where she was going, only that she was not going to win this verbal battle of theirs. He wouldn't let her.

"Yes" he snapped, "Damn it, Dorothy. I have more important things to take care of. I'm head of security for the Vice Minister, I'm a Commodore in my own right--"

"Then you should be occupying yourself with this marriage business" she sneered.

"What are you getting at?" he asked impatiently. "I hate your games"

"That's what all this is, right?" she said, "a duty. You're marrying Princess Julianna for peace, for the lives of many people. You don't love her. Did Une order you to do it? What's the President giving you for this particular heroic? Did you even put up a fight, or did you just roll over and yapped when they told you to? Or maybe, you just knew in your heart, without anyone ever telling you anything, that this was what you're supposed to do?"

He just stared at her.

"Tell you what, Heero" she continued, "you are not that important. Don't kid yourself. You solve this problem, there'll be others. It may be the right thing to do, but it's not the best. And maybe it's not even up to you to save humanity"

"Given the same situation, Dorothy," he seethed, "would you dare say no?"

"I can't say I know what you're going through" she conceded, "no one can"

He nodded, satisfied. "Then leave me alone. Just think of it this way. I'll marry a beautiful woman, I'll live in a palace. I'll have money and power and prestige. Anything a man would need"

"Anything a Perfect Man would need," she said coolly, "but we're human aren't we? Aren't you? Surely, somewhere inside you must know that, Perfect Soldier. You need more than those material things. You'll need love and you'll need happiness and you'll never find it in a woman like her. There's only one thing you can't give for your heart's desire, Heero. That's your heart. Sometimes, the price is just too high"

She walked away, saying, "Think about it."

At least I got rid of her.

But the words she said would be etched in his flawless, Perfect memory, and all-too-Imperfect human heart, for all eternity.

Relena walked the halls like a ghost the following night, heading straight for Heero's room.

She knocked just twice before the door opened.

"Relena" he said, and strange as it was, the usual monotone was laced with groggy surprise. She thought he looked nice, as he stood before her with his rumpled gray slacks and white polo. His hair was in disarray too. Seeing him like this made him seem somewhat…attainable.

She gulped. Scratch that.

"I'm sorry I woke you" she told him coldly, determined to stick to the business-only attitude she had donned for both their sakes.

"I wasn't sleeping" he lied. It's the first wink of sleep he'd had in days, and here she just woke him.

"Good" she commented. "Now let me in"

He almost smiled, as he pulled the door open wider for her, then closed it behind them.

She tossed him a small, velvet-lined box, which he caught effortlessly.

"Open it"

"I already know what's inside" he said coolly.

"Good" she said, not wanting to rise to his bait. "The engagement party is going to be the night after tomorrow. Make sure she has it before then"

He nodded, pocketing the box. "Of course"

"Don't you at least want to see what Dorothy picked out?" Relena asked.

A raised eyebrow from him.

"You don't think I picked it out, did you?" she asked, frowning. "Really, Heero"

He drew it out, flipped the lid. Gold band, set in diamond studs of the first water, with a large blue one on the center, shaped like heart. Heero snorted, appreciating the irony.

"Why didn't she come up here to give it to me herself?" said Heero flatly, "I would have wanted to thank her"

Sarcasm?

She rolled back her eyes. "I came up here because we need to clear up a few things between us"

He crossed his arms over his chest.

No help there.

"We're practical people" she said nervously, "we value our duties, we know what we have to do. I know why you're doing this. You're doing it for the same reason you've done everything else in your life. I've always admired you for how much you can give of yourself for others, and I can't say I admire you any less for what you're doing now. I can't say I like it, but I bow to your sacrifice"

"Is that all?" he asked tightly, and she was starting to feel as if she had done something wrong.

"No" she replied.

There's so much more, but we'll never be able to cover it in a lifetime.

"You know I've always liked you," she said quickly, "and don't be coy. You know I know you know. But…well, that was that. It doesn't matter anymore. You're doing the right thing, now. And it's always been one-sided, anyway. Right?"

"Right" he lied. "You never meant anything like that to me"

"Perfect" she said softly, blinking at the tears in her eyes as she headed for the door. "I couldn't have expected anything less from you"

The day that followed was a flurry of activity as guests arrived for the engagement party, the most daunting group of which was Heero Yuy's friends, the Gundam pilots. Accompanying them were Catherine Bloom, Hilde, Iria Winner, and Sally Po (who had an invitation in her own right). Zechs Marquis and Lucrezia Noin were also in attendance.

Duo Maxwell headed straight for Heero's quarters the moment he arrived, leaving the formalities to his companions.

He was carrying an armload of mysterious things in a brown paper bag, which he clutched to his chest like a lifeline. Violet eyes were alive with both mischief and worry, a most contradictory combination. Then again, Duo Maxwell was a world of different things.

"Look at this!" he exclaimed to Heero, dropping all the contents of the paper bag atop the man's desk, where he was doing some paperwork.

"Duo…" he muttered. Could say nothing else, for all his IQ and vocabulary. He has successfully reached a certain level of frustration that is beyond words, just three seconds since he met his friend again.

Heero glanced at the mess on his desk, eyes widening.

Magazines, newspapers, books, tabloids.

"You're The News!" Duo exclaimed.

War Hero Steals Heart of Rebel Princess.

Commodore Yuy to Marry Princess Julianna.

Heero Yuy; The Untold Story

Princess Finds Prince Charming in Adversary

Sleeping With The Enemy…

Heero muttered a curse.

"And my machine is swamped, Heero!" Duo went on, "everyone's trying to quote me about you. Others were asking me if you would ever consider selling movie rights!"

Heero ran his hands tiredly over his face. "How the heck did this happen?"

Duo shrugged. "Well, Julianna did make her demands official, so they became public knowledge. The President's publicity team thought it would be a great idea to make it bigger, like a fairy tale. Avoid war and disunity through morale boosting. It's been done before. You're a celebrity, man. And not because you're a Gundam pilot. It's because you're a pretty boy and this gorgeous princess is frustrated"

Heero blanched. "Damn"

Duo fidgeted a little. "So, uh…excitement aside and all that, you're okay, right? I mean with Relena and everything--"

"We're fine" replied Heero smoothly, "we know our place. We know what we're supposed to do, if that's what you're asking"

"I doubt it" snapped Duo.

"You're going to be my conscience too?" retorted Heero. "I've made up my mind. This is better than bloodshed"

Duo's shoulders slumped. "Yeah, yeah"

Just before the party, Heero, in a new suit by his valet, stopped by Julianna's door to escort her to the ballroom.

The protocol officer said it was what he was supposed to do, and as usual, was right when Julianna herself opened the door for him and favored him with a beautiful smile.

"You're early" she commented.

"There was something I had to do first" he said, pulling out Dorothy's velvet box.

She smirked, "I'll be lying if I told you I didn't know it was coming. But I haven't seen it yet. Thank you, Commodore. You play your part well"

"That's all that this is, isn't it? A game? An act?" he asked bitterly. "I can't see the point"

"Nevertheless" she said coolly. "Will you at least smile? In just a few minutes we'll be entering a room filled with people saying 'congratulations' to you and you look murderous"

"I feel murderous" he snapped, but fell on his knee and offered her the box. "Would you do me the honor of becoming my bride?" he asked irritably.

She actually laughed. "If things had been different, I'd…never mind. What the heck. Yes. I would love to be your wife."

The Great Hall was swamped with people that night.

Another Interesting Party, though Relena didn't appreciate this one as she did the last.

She was latched onto Dominic's arm, and she suspected the two of them were quite a fetching sight, if anyone bothered to look away from the beautiful young 'couple' whose party it was. She took a sidelong glance at her escort, found a glower there which surely mirrored her own.

That was when a bolt of lightning struck her.

"You love Julianna" she said softly, reverently.

Dominic stiffened a little, said nothing.

"I love Heero" she shared quietly. It's as if the two of them were isolated in their world of misery from the celebration that surrounded them. "But it doesn't matter now, does it?"

"No" Dominic agreed quietly, "it doesn't"

"Well, all's fair in love and war"

Relena and Dominic whipped around to find Dorothy leering at them.

Relena could just sigh at this point, being used to the strange young woman who popped in at the most odd moments, giving people a piece of her mind. She wasn't even sure what Dorothy was doing here and now, except maybe for the fact that her track record always was filled with chasing chaos anyway.

"Maybe you should go marry Relena, Dominic" she sneered, "See what Mr. and Mrs. Yuy has to say about it"

It actually made them laugh.

It was a thought.

Relena didn't find Dorothy so very amusing, later.

The blonde bombshell grabbed a knife and a wine glass, ticked them to make a sound that reverberated around the ballroom. The more traditional ones understood the gesture, while others were forced at a guess. Either way, the word spread that it was a demand for the perspective bride and groom to kiss, and it caught on.

Whose side are you on?!

"Kiss me." Julianna told him, half-ordering, half-pleading. Heero glanced at her, and for one panicky moment looked as if he was going to ignore her. Then he just pulled her to him and gave her a kiss that sent her reeling, to the delight of the crowd.

"Remember," he hissed at her ear, "you were the one who wanted all of this"

Julianna's eyes drifted, as if she saw something he didn't.

Dominic thought he caught her eye there, as the kiss ended.

He stood alongside a seething Relena, still in their own world of misery as the crowd gave a burst of laughter and applause. Everyone was aware of the circumstances and yet they found joy in it. Dominic couldn't understand.

He felt Relena shift beside him, saw that she was going to grab at her skirts and just go. He made sure he grabbed her hand and tucked it in his arm, gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm not going to let you run" he said decisively.

"Please" her voice shook, eyes imploring, "I can't take any more of this"

He lowered his face to her, held her gaze. "Be strong, Vice Minister. Don't let them see you break"

She lifted her head, gave a short nod. The use of her title reminded her of the dignity of her office, and what it was supposed to represent.

She knew where her duty lies.

Didn't she?

Dominic had been cornered by several colleagues, and she took advantage of the fact that he could not go after her by slipping away and grabbing two glasses of champagne to drink alone.

Relena found herself drifting to the balcony again, feeling like a ghost. It was as if no one could see her, no one could feel her misery. She sat on the railing, let her legs swing again, felt the breeze on her face. Finished one glass, then the other.

"Keep it going, Your Highness, and you'll be an alcoholic"

Heero.

Great.

"I have bigger problems" she said blandly, not bothering to look at him. It hurt. It just hurt too damn much. "Shouldn't you be in there? Julianna might miss you. The crowd surely will"

"I have duties to attend to" he said quietly as he slipped his coat over her cold shoulders, his warm fingers lingering just a little too long.

"I'm fine" she snapped.

"I'm not" he retorted, in a rare lack of control. "Damn it, Relena. What did I do that you wouldn't have?"

She blinked at the tears in her eyes, but it was a losing battle. "Nothing." She sniffed, cleared her throat and wiped her face as she chuckled. "The noble ones. Always lonely."

She seemed so desolate, looking up at the skies with a tear-streaked face.

It made him realize, no matter how oppressive this whole arrangement was to him, somehow, it seemed as if she was losing more.

He came up behind her, encased her in a hug that she returned, fiercely and desperately.

"You've given this peace everything already" she sobbed against his shirt, "you blood, your body. How much more are they going to ask? How much more are you going to give?"

"Relena--"

"No," she argued, "don't say anything. Just listen. I'm not going to ask you to choose me. I know I'd lose. But just know, I love you more. I'll always love you more."

"I know" he said in a grave voice, "I've always known."

"Now let me go," she said in a ragged whisper, "and walk away, and not look back."

A sad smile touched his lips. "You let me go."

He felt her chuckle against him. "Can't. You'll have to pry me off."

"I was starting to come to the same conclusion"

She sighed against him. "I can't pretend anymore. I can't pretend it doesn't hurt. But one of the reasons why I love you so much is your selflessness."

He buried his face in her hair, said nothing and just remained in that warm embrace he knew he would always miss.

"Why won't you say it back?" she murmured.

"Hm?"

"That you love me" she replied primly, "a girl couldn't help but notice."

"It will only hurt us both."

"Don't be a priss." She teased, "Heero, I can't promise you forever, but let's have this moment. Just this one moment."

He let out a nervous breath. "I love you."

"Wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Now what do we do?"

"If you don't know the answer to that, you aren't as smart as you think you are."

They left the balcony and headed for Relena's room.

But not before someone saw, and heard what had transpired between them.

It made her heart ache a strange pang, gave her a Mission of her own.

Dorothy Catalonia had a Mission of her own.

And it was going to be… Big.




to be continued...

any suggestions, comments, flames email me mirror_dance@hotmail.com