see chapter one for warnings and leave me alone I'm tired, I don't own 
      anything. Exceot for . . .no, wait, I don't own that either . . . :(

      oh, and sorry this one's so short. I'm too tired to see, much less type.

      C and C appreciated! ^_^


      ****************************************
      Peacecraft Fallen
     Chapter Three: Oh Dear
     ****************************************

      Under the path of the bullets, Heero dove into the room, rolling 
      frantically to avoid her too-close aim as she followed his twisting path. 
      She stopped to shove in a fresh clip, and came up with his gun at her 
      lips. Her Berretta was pressed into his temple; both were breathing 
      lightly, somewhat tensed, and very controlled. Heero's right eye ticked; 
      her lips trembled against the blued steel of the gun. He stared at her 
      closely, trying to see where his Relena ended and this soldier began; the 
      angel wing tattoo on her back was the least of the differences. Her eyes 
      were a lighter version of his own, emotionless, flat, perfect; her body, 
      covered only by a black halter-top and biker shorts, was lean and muscled, 
      no longer the soft Queen's budding form. 

      One of her blood-red eyebrows quirked provocatively, Duo burst in through 
      the door, and her right hand flashed upwards with a glint of steel, aimed 
      for Heero's turning head.

      He snapped around, lowering his gun to block the six-inch claws ('claws?') 
      protruding from the back of her hand. His own knife quivered, and 
      shattered against her curving talons, and she smirked, her gun going off-
                       - only to pass above his whipping hair.
      He rolled to the opposite side of the room's bed, taking cover as she 
      seemed content to shoot at him from across the room, pretty much ignoring 
      the gaping Duo. Until he moved.
      She cocked her head in a curious, inhuman fashion, and turned towards the 
      door to fire at Maxwell. Heero dove at her from behind the bed, firing his 
      pistol as a distraction while he tried to get in close enough to strike. 
      She turned back to him, dodging his bullets and dropping her empty gun to 
      bring up her foot in a roundhouse kick that slammed Heero into the wall, 
      shattering plaster and sheet-rock. Heero hit the floor hard, dropping his 
      gun; he shook his head, jumped to his feet, and launched a furious attack. 
      She blocked most of his blows, using her wicked claws to slash open his 
      tank-top to reveal the heavy bandaging underneath; she paused a moment, 
      allowing him to connect a solid punch that whipped her around to the 
      floor. He hesitated, breathing heavily, arm curled around the bandages 
      that held together his broken ribs.

      She climbed to her feet, stretching her neck and massaging her knuckles; 
      the popping cartilage suggested breaking bones in the sudden silence. Duo 
      leaned in the doorway, mouth slightly open, awed by the five-second battle 
      he'd just witnessed. She bowed lightly to Heero, gesturing towards his 
      wrapped ribs as she spoke.
      "Relena Peacecraft, at your service." She smiled wryly, fully aware of the 
      irony of that name. "We can continue this . . . discussion . . . at 
      another time."
      "Hn." Heero nodded shortly, lowering himself to sit against the wall as 
      she retrieved her weapons and luggage. Duo edged aside as she sauntered 
      through the door, the heavy pack on her shoulder brushing the front of his 
      pants lightly. He shivered, and tried to press himself into the wall; she 
      looked at him suddenly, grinning menacingly as he cowered away. She raised 
      her free hand, and he got a close-up look at the claws that slid from 
      beneath her skin; she caressed the side of his face lightly with one 
      talon, winked at him, and disappeared through the door.

      Duo staggered across the room, and slid down the wall to sit next to 
Heero.
      "Shoo. Ne, Heero, I somehow don't think you should've shot her the last 
      time. I think you just made her angry."
      "Baka." Heero grunted, resisting the urge to curl around his ribs, feeling 
      them rasp and grate in his chest. Duo looked at him with concerned, violet 
      eyes.
      "She's right, you know."
      "Hn?"
      "You need to rest up. So she can kick your ass again." Duo said with a 
      perfectly straight face, and then grinned.
      "Bakayaro!"

      **************************
     Okay, okay, I'm getting to the romance part. It's just I've never written het before. . . -_-;