“How do I look?”

Heero glanced up from his laptop at Relena. 

She finished buttoning up the jacket of her new Preventer uniform and came to attention.

“Like a peace .. keeper.”  He returned his attention to the screen, but his eyes darted up to hers a second later.

Relena stared at him, then burst out laughing.

“Heero, you made a joke!”

“I also watched you get dressed.”  Heero didn’t bother disguising how much he enjoyed that.  She already knew too much about him.  He had nothing left to hide.

“Heero!”

She took a step toward him, a seductive smile curving her lips, but someone pounded on the door.

“Duo.”  Heero muttered standing up and crossing his arms.  He looked at Relena.  “He’s got your brother with him.”

The pounding continued.

“Aren’t you going to let them in?”

“Maybe.”

“Heero?!  Relena?!  Come on you guys, open the door!!!”  Duo’s voice sounded stressed.  Heero guessed Milardo was giving him a hard time.

“What’s the password?”  Heero yelled back.

Relena stared at him in shock.  Password?

“What are you doing?”

Heero shrugged.  “Everybody keeps telling me to have a little fun once in a while.”  He never took his eyes off the now vibrating door.  The pounding was getting more and more violent.

“And this is fun?”

“This is fun.”

“Yuy, I want to see my sister!”  An outraged voice yelled.

Heero opened the door with a quick economical movement and stepped back.

“Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

“Grrrr.”  Milardo Peacecraft glared at the younger man before turning his attention to his sister.  He gasped.  “Relena, what are you wearing?”

Relena looked down at herself.  “Don’t you like it?  I’m thinking of changing jobs.”

“What?”  Her brother sounded like he was about to choke.

Relena rolled her eyes.

“I’m in disguise, Milardo.  We’re in Preventer headquarters, hence I’m dressed as a Preventer.  Get it.”

“It will .. do.”  He stepped forward and folded her into his embrace, holding her for several long seconds before letting her go.

Milardo stared at Heero.

“Yuy, I want an explanation and I want one right now.”

“I expected that.”  Heero indicated his computer.  “Have a seat.”  He nodded at Duo, who had wisely remained outside the door and silent.

“Come in here.  I’ve got an idea I want to talk to you about.” 

*******

“Do you think it will work?”  Lady Une asked the assembled people in her office.  As far as anyone else knew she was busy debriefing them on their lack of ability to locate Relena Darlian’s assassin.  Or rather, yelling at them.

“He won’t be able to resist the opportunity to get close to her.”  Quatre pointed out.  “Especially since he didn’t get to kill her himself.”

“What about Heero’s inside man?  Any leads?”

“Yes.”  Trowa answered.  “We’re investigating.  This..event would further that investigation a great deal.”

“I don’t like it.”  Milardo grumbled.

“I agree it’s risky, but it will bring all her enemies out into the open.”  Heero kept his tone even, almost dead.  He had to stay professional, he didn’t want everyone to know  about the change in his relationship with Relena yet. 

“How do you feel about this, Preventer snow?”  Lady Une asked.

Relena smiled at her.

“Let’s just say that this is one public appearance I’ll be glad to sleep through.”

******

It was late.  The whole day had been taken up with planning their strategy to catch Curtis Barton.  Not to mention organizing the funeral of Vice-Foreign Minister Relena Darlian to be held the next day. 

Heero and Relena walked through the dark hanger in the bowels of Preventer Headquarters and past the two hulking mobile suits stored there.

Relena looked up at them.

“What’s it like, Heero?”

“Hn?”

“Piloting a mobile suit, what’s it like?”

Heero stared up at the Tallgese III, so like his own Gundam and yet so different.

“Control.”

“What?”

“You feel in control when you pilot a suit.”

“In control of what?”

Heero shrugged.  “Everything.”

Relena glanced up at the shining example of war, then at the hard planes of his face.

“But that feeling of control is an illusion, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”  He took her hand.  “It is.”

“Heero?”

He switched his attention to her face.  “What?”

“I love you.”

Heero pulled her to a stop and gazed down at her.

“I told Duo yesterday that I didn’t know what love was.  I believed that I didn’t, but last night I learned different.”  He touched her face with gentle fingers, like she was a priceless work of art.

“Last night I realized that it’s love that has kept me alive since I met you.”  He took her face in his hands bringing her closer to him.  “For the first time in my life I truly feel in control, and it’s not an illusion.”

Relena breathed out, then breathed back in.  It was so hard to do with her chest feeling so tight.  Heero’s words washed over her, making her tremble.  He had endured so much, sacrificed so much, but to have him say that it was her feelings that kept him alive was almost more than she could bear.  Tears rolled down her face and dripped onto his hands.

“Why are you crying?”

“Because you can’t.”

“Come on.”  Heero pulled her along to their hideaway, activating the door’s security system as soon as it was closed. 

He kissed her, lapping up all her tears, holding her close until her sobs ceased.

“I love you, Relena.”

******

The beeping of the VidCom unit next to the door woke Heero from a sound sleep.  He checked his watch.  2 AM.

Relena lay half on his body, her head on his chest with her hair spread out over top of his stomach.  At least the damn thing hadn’t woke her up, yet.

Heero slid out from under her and pressed a button on the unit.  Duo’s face popped onto the screen.  His grin was even wider than usual.

“Sorry to interrupt pal, but as you predicted the fish are biting tonight.”

“Good.  Let them.”

“I think you’ll be surprised to find out who has landed in our nets.”

“Are we compromised?”

“No, but Lady Une isn’t happy.  She would like to make some arrests now.”

“That might scare off the biggest fish of all.  Ask her to hold off dragging in the nets until tomorrow.”

“Will do.”  Duo winked at him.  “Don’t let any of those bed bugs bite, old buddy.”  The screen went dark.

“Jerk.”  Heero muttered.

“Who was that?”  Relena sounded more asleep than awake.

“Duo.”

“Why did you call him a jerk?”

“Because he makes a joke out of everything.”

Relena pulled the blanket aside, encouraging Heero to join her in the bed.  “It’s his way of dealing with things, good and bad.”

“I know.  It’s annoying.”

“Then why do you hang around with him so much?”

Heero didn’t answer.  He laid down next to her, pulling her across his body again.

“You like it don’t you?  He challenges you!”

“Yeah.  Just don’t ever tell him.”

Relena chucked and kissed her way around his navel.  “I’m sure he already knows.”  She slithered down farther, letting her hair tickle his chest while her lips nibbled on the skin of his thighs.

“Relena?”  Heero was having trouble regulating his breathing again.  What was she doing?

“Hmmmm?”

“What are you..oh God..” 

Relena’s warm wet tongue touched the very tip of him, exploring lightly.  She let it slid down his length and back up again.  Then she took the entire head in her mouth, gently sucking it.

Heero’s hips flexed upwards in reaction and he groaned.

“I never thought it would feel so soft or so hard all at the same time.”  She whispered, taking another long suck at him.

Heero felt like he was going to explode, but he didn’t want to do that in her mouth, he wanted her to come with him.

He sat up and pulled her underneath him, fastening his mouth to hers.  His hands molded her breasts, flicking his fingers across the nipples making her gasp and writhe along with him.

He tested her with a finger.  She was wet, and she whimpered as he teased her.  He centered himself and slowly sunk into her. 

Heero had never felt anything so beautiful or so fulfilling in his life.

******

Someone was pounding on the door again.

Relena sat up, brushing her hair out of her face, wondering who could be bothering them at this hour.  She checked her watch.  Oh God!  It was all ready 8 AM!

Heero was still asleep next to her, their clothes were scattered across the floor and the blankets a mess. 

On only one bed.

“Relena!  Yuy!  Open up!”  Her brother’s voice did not sound happy.

Uh oh.

She looked down at Heero again and smiled.  She got out of the bed, grabbed Heero’s shirt from off the floor, pulled it over her head and opened the door.

Oh dear, she thought, I do wish Milardo had come by himself.

Behind her brother stood Duo, Quatre, Trowa, Wufei, Sally and Noin.

Milardo stared at her in outraged shock.  Noin and Sally smiled, Duo ogled her legs before winking at her, Quatre turned his head away, blushing, Trowa raised an eyebrow and Wufei just glared at her.

“Where’s Yuy?”  Milardo ground out from between clenched teeth.

Relena pushed her brother away from the door and closed it behind her.

“He’s sleeping.”

Milardo looked about ready to shred something or somebody to pieces. 

“Don’t you dare yell at him either.”  Relena ordered.

“What?!  He just ..“  Milardo waved his hand nonsensically around in the air, sputtering, “.. with my sister!”

Relena crossed her arms over her chest.

“I started it.”

Duo giggled. 

Trowa elbowed him in the side.

“WHAT!”  Milardo’s face was beet red now.

“I love him.”

“You can’t love him!  He’s an emotionless automaton!!”

“No he isn’t!”  Relena insisted, balling up her fists.  Pacifism be damned, she wasn’t going to let her brother talk about Heero that way.

“She’s right.  I’m not.”

Relena whipped around, wondering how Heero got the door open without anyone noticing.

Heero’s eyes locked with Milardo’s.  “I love her.”

Milardo straightened his shoulders, his eyes darting between the Relena and Heero.  He carefully schooled his features.  “I want to go over this plan of yours one more time.”

Heero nodded.  He could see the effort it cost the other man to reign in his temper.

Milardo spun on his heels and walked away, heading for the Tallgese III.  Noin followed him, but everyone else stayed behind.

Wufei crossed his arms, giving Heero a disgusted look.  “Couldn’t you have waited until after this mission was over to develop a love life?”

Heero glanced at Relena, then back at everyone staring at him.

“No.”

Relena cleared her throat.  “If you all would excuse us..”

“Of course, Miss Relena.”  Quatre bowed.  “We’ll be waiting over there.”  He indicated an area on the other side of the room.

Sally handed her a garment bag.

“Here’s the dress you wanted.”

“Thanks Sally.”

Heero opened the door letting Relena inside, followed her in and closed it behind them.

He crossed his arms and glared at her.

“What did you think you were doing?”

Relena put the garment bag on the unused bed and unzipped it.

“What are you referring to?”

“Opening the door like that?  What if it wasn’t your brother?”

Relena glanced at him as she removed the dress from the bag and fluffed it out.

“I knew who it was, Heero.  I could hear him yelling at us to open the door.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?”

She shrugged, turning her back to him.  “I didn’t see the need.  I can open a door as well as you can.”

Heero uncrossed his arms and walked up to her.

“Relena..”  He sighed.  “Are you sure you want .. me?”

She turned around, giving him a brilliant smile.  “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted.”  She held up the dress.  “Care to zip me up?”

Heero allowed a smile to briefly lighten his features.

“You’re almost as bad as Duo.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.  Nobody else could be that goofy.”

******

Milardo stared down at the pale face of his sister.  Her hands were arranged on her chest as if she were sleeping, her hair had been combed out into a fan around her head.  Not a strand was out of place.  Every pleat in her dress was perfect.

The drug Sally administered to Relena to make her look like she was dead worked almost too well.

He touched the Plexiglas cover of the coffin reverently.  Too many times he’d let her down.  Never again.

“Are you sure this is going to work?” he asked the young man standing behind him.

Heero, wearing all black from collar to boots, joined Milardo next to the heavy oak coffin.

“It has to work.  Everyone who has any ill will toward her cannot help but come.  They won’t be able to stop themselves.   They believe they can never again get this close.” 

“Yes, I understand your strategy.”

“But you don’t approve.”

Milardo stared at him.  “Of the strategy?  Or of you?”

Heero returned his stony expression.

“Yes.”

One corner of Milardo’s mouth turned upward in a poor imitation of a smile.

“I approve of the strategy.  As for you .. keep her happy and you’ll have no trouble from me on that score either.”

With a last look at Relena, Heero melted into the shadows.  “Mission accepted.”

******

The building was huge.  The biggest problem with huge buildings, in Heero’s mind, was that they have too many exits. 

He stood motionless in the highest reaches of the building, scanning the crowd with the high power scope of a sniper rifle.  The rifle itself fit comfortably enough in his hands, but he hoped he wouldn’t have to fire it.  If anyone tried to harm Relena though, he’d shoot without thinking twice.

Relena lay in state inside her coffin on a dais at the front of the long hall below him.  Hundreds of people were lined up to take one last look at the most influential and famous woman in the world.  The dove of peace, Relena Peacecraft.

One of those people was Curtis Barton.

He’d hidden himself well, Heero had to give him that.  But even the best of the best had to come out sooner or later.  To eat, to get supplies, to gloat over a victim.  Because even if he hadn’t pulled the trigger himself, she was still his victim.

No, Curtis Barton wouldn’t be able to stay away and neither would those who sought to help him in his quest to bring destruction to the one person responsible for the downfall of his family.

Heero’s attention never wavered from his task.

Milardo was speaking to the crowd.  Talking about Relena and her commitment to peace, and to the welfare of the people of Earth and the Colonies.  His words were short and filled with pain.  He left the podium and gazed down at his sister.  The rest of the crowd followed.

Five minutes passed, thirty.

A blond head bent over the casket.  Heero could see the sneer on the man’s face reflecting clearly off the Plexiglas.

“First target sighted.”  He said in a low monotone.

“First target acquired.”  Wufei’s voice sounded small coming over the tiny receiver in Heero’s ear.

Twenty minutes later another unwholesome smile reflected back at Heero.

“Second target sighted.”

“Second target acquired.”  Trowa’s voice answered this time.

People filed passed the coffin slowly, most with tears in their eyes.  Some looked like there were in shock and still others cried openly.  Heero wondered if Relena knew how much the people loved her.

But not everyone loved her.

An hour later a woman looked down at Relena’s face and grinned maliciously.

“Third target sighted.”

“Third target acquired.”  Duo responded.

Heero kept his position for several more hours until all the mourners were escorted out of the building.

“Phase one complete.  Initiate phase two.”

“Roger that Preventer shadow.”  Noin’s voice chimed in his ear.

“Shadow out.”

Heero waited patiently until Relena’s casket was removed before leaving his perch and following it back to Preventer Headquarters.

The nets were in.  It was time to inspect their catch.