Chapter 6 Too shoot or not to shoot? That is the real question.

Disclaimer: No, I never have and never will own Gundam Wing.

The house was completely silent except for the loud chewing and occasional swallow interrupted with the sporadic rustle of fabric. Duo speared another piece of the fried lamb grinning as Hilde’s eyes followed each movement the glare turning deadlier with each passing moment. Heero secured the thick wrapping before sliding his sock back on his foot. He glanced up at the silent Peacecraft. She looked adorable curled up on the couch, fast asleep. It was hard to believe she was the same person he had cornered just a half-hour earlier.

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She whirled a flash of metal making him freeze as he raised his eyes to hers.

"Your job is to protect me? So, you kidnap Hilde?" She asked holding the gun with a steady hand as she stood her ground." That’s between Duo and Hilde. If you’re going to shoot someone shoot him." He replied his eyes moving to the gun. The safety was off causing his stomach to tighten. She wouldn’t really shoot me would she? She a pacifist for crying out loud!

"What a great friend you are." She commented sarcastically. "Why did you really come here?"

"Why did you leave?"

"You came all the way out here just to ask me that?" She raised an eyebrow still not lowering the gun. He inwardly groaned. Great, I hate having to talk my way out of a situation but even I know better than to use physical force, first. Especially on her, after that one day…(1)

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Relena titled her head upwards capturing his Prussian eyes as she reached a hand up to poke his cheek. He slapped it away his eyes narrowing at her. "What was that for?" He demanded harshly as more tears leaked out of her beautiful eyes joining the others tears that trailed down her smooth skin.

"Just making sure you were really there. That you were really Heero."

"Hn…" She toyed with the sleeve of her shirt lowering her gaze not even bothering anymore to wipe away the tears.

"What did he do to you?" He asked resting his chin on her head.

"What?" She asked in return bafflement evident in her voice.

"He had to do something. To cause this." He answered timidly reaching up to capture a tear on the tip of his finger.

"I hate it. I can’t stand it." She replied her tone soft as her voice quivered thick with emotion.

"Can’t stand, what?"

"Being so helpless. Knowing there’s nothing I can do. Unable to stop him."

"Stop him from what? What did he do?"

"Nothing, yet. But if he did… I couldn’t do anything. I wouldn’t be able to defend myself." He stroked the side of her arm drawing her closer as her tears soaked the thick fabric of his shirt.

"All of us are like that. Except Catherine. But she’s got her knives. Even Dorothy, who can more than hold her own in a duel has that same fear lurking inside." Her hands fisted in the fabric as the sob grew harder shaking her slender frame.

"Relena…" His hand slipped in between them titling her chin up. "That’s why I’ll protect you." (2)

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"Yes, I did. Now why?" She lowered herself onto the bed still keeping distance and the gun trained on him.

"I was tired…" She trailed off a faint tint of pink staining her cheeks.

"Tired? You were sleepy? So you ran away, stole my car, made five of your best employees dig through a landfill, and then track you down because you were tired?" His eyebrows were raised in disbelief and the corners of his mouth tugged upwards.

"Hilde sent it to a landfill?" A grin appeared on her face, "And they actually went after it?" He nodded silently moving forward three paces. She didn’t seem to notice as the grin suddenly became tainted with sadness.

"I was tired of you…"

"…?"

"You were so stiff and I never got more than eighteen words out of you during two weeks, Heero." She added frustration evident in her tone. Her eyes exploded with an intensity and determination that sent shivers up his spine.

"Put the gun down, Relena. We both know you won’t use it." He commanded his voice suddenly the stiff monotone again. Her eyes flashed at the challenge.

"Is that a dare?" She asked rising. "I’ll make a deal with you. I shoot and you leave, if I don’t then I’ll go with you willingly."

"I’ll make no such deal."

"I didn’t hear you say anything, Heero." She mockingly cupped a hand to her ear. "Silence means consent." He started to move toward but stopped as she started to lower the gun.

"Relena…" Whatever he would have said was cut off by a gunshot. He blinked in shock before looking down at the perfectly round hole in his new shoes. She barely had time to blink before he was on top of her, wrenching the gun from her grip. He clicked the safety on before tossing it across the room and outside the door.

"You shot me." She nodded shocked by her own actions as well.

"You… You shot, me." He repeated. She nodded again. "That means I leave, right?" He asked the corners of him mouth turning up again. She nodded some of the shock starting to wear off. "Very well." He knelt at the waist before moving forward catching her at the hips causing her to lose her balance and fall forward. Right on to his shoulder. He grunted slightly as he straightened and walked favoring his right foot out of the room.

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He glanced over at her again, shaking his head slightly. No, there’s way that was Relena. She would have at least shot me in both feet when she finally snapped. He decided as he slipped his wounded foot into the shoe.

"Hn…" He said to Duo before scooping the now fast-asleep form of Relena into his arms. She curled up tighter huddling against the warmth his chest provided as he carried out of the quiet house. Duo scooped the last spoonful of the potatoes onto his spoon before turning his eyes to Hilde as the front door closed behind Heero. He set the plate in the sink before kneeling in front of the raven-haired woman.

Her hands were secured in the oven mitts by the same thing that held her hands bound together behind her back. Duct-tape. Another large piece covered her mouth matching the same silvery-gray material that was wrapped around her ankles fastening them to the chair legs. He reached out and yanked the piece off.

She flinched before spitting the rag he stuffed into her mouth before taping her lips closed right in his face.

"When you said we need more potholders, this wasn’t what I had in mind."

"Babe," He changed the location of the rag from his face to the counter-top.

"You still owe me an explanation."

"I. Owe. You. Nothing. You ungrateful swine!"

"Ouch." He replied sarcastically. "Was that the best you could come up with?" He asked leaning forward until his warm breath caressed the smooth skin of her earlobe.

"It was honest. You are a pig, always stuffing your face with food. Ungrateful, you never once thanked me for actually giving you clean clothes. Just obsessed over the fact they were a different shade!" She yelled back in his ear. He winced moving backwards as he slapped the piece of tape back on her mouth effectively cutting off anymore protests. A whimper of protest muffled by the tape floated toward his ears. He groaned before leaning back down.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" He asked glaring down at her. She squirmed uncomfortably as a wave of helplessness washed over her freezing any response she might have made. She shrank back against the chair, suddenly releasing that with Heero gone he could do anything. And she couldn’t do a thing about it. He reached down stroking her cheek comfortingly.

"It’s okay, babe. Let’s get you home." He replied gently peeling the tape from her mouth.

"Home? In case you haven’t noticed this is now my home." She replied bitterly. He leaned forward nose to nose with his spitfire.

"Your home is on L2, with me." He replied possessiveness ringing in his voice. "Now, do you want to travel in the chair for the whole trip or do you promise to be a good girl and not run away?" He asked.

"I won’t run away…" She muttered.

"You’ll come back to L2, to the scrap yard, and not leave until we have a real discussion?" He added.

"I’ll go back to the scrap yard and stick around for the talk." She answered irritated.

"Good."

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