"An Oldie But a Goodie"" by: the archduke

disclaimer: I don't own GW, but I do own Samantha. I also don't own this premise. It belongs to the owners of "It's a Wonderful Life".

Just to let you know, this installment in chock full o' HY/RPness! Also, I made Relena more sympathetic than I meant to, but that's the way the cookie crumbles I suppose.

Chapter 9

A soldier. Now he was a soldier. Heero was in a uniform, again on a military base, but not the same one where he had met Wufei. Just by standing there in the hallway, Heero could tell that this was not like any military base he had been on before.

This base was grand. The hallway he was in had elegant paintings adorning the walls, obviously very expensive. The floor was marble, not concrete as found in most military bases. In fact, a person wouldn't even know that they were in a military base if it wasn't for the numerous soldiers that walked by and the bars on the windows. This base was meant to convey wealth and grandeur, probably serving as OZ's main base.

Heero decided to start walking, because sooner or later it would seem strange for a soldier to be standing in the middle of a hallway for no reason. He decided to go left, in search of the person he had come to see.

As Heero entered what he assumed was the mess hall, he was surprised to see some other soldiers waving him over. He hesitantly moved towards them, hoping that his cover had not been blown.

"Hey, how you doin'? You new here?" At Heero's nod the man continued. "Well then, have a seat. You get your 'official' welcome yet?"

All of the other men sitting at the table snickered, while Heero continued staring at the man who had spoken.

"Not a talker, huh? That's okay, as a new guy I'll give you a break. Ya see, the commander's wife gives a special 'welcome' to every new soldier that's stationed on her security detail. You know, a private, personal welcome, just the two of you in her bedroom. And by the looks of your uniform, you are one of the chosen, if you get what I mean," the man said, giving Heero a wink and a smile.

Heero didn't give a damn that Lady Une was a slut. He ignored the laughs that were coming from the other men and addressed the man who had spoken to him.

"Do you know anybody here, a woman maybe, who talks about peace? Maybe a pacifist, or someone who doesn't believe in fighting?"

"Didn't you just hear what I said? All you have to do is go to the commander's wife's room and you are guaranteed a sure thing!" At Heero's unresponsive face the man shrugged. "Yeah, I know who you're talking about. Some lady in 5th company always goes on and on about not fighting and living in peace and all that crap. I would have thought that the commander would have had her killed by now, but the rumor is that she used to be someone important. I dunno, she's just some crazy broad."

Heero immediately left, going in search of the 5th company.

"I'm telling you, peace is the answer! We must not fight, but try to talk with the colonies, try to include them in the OZ government. Fighting will only lead to more bloodshed and deaths!"

The woman was currently talking to anyone who would listen, which at the moment included one man who was half-asleep and a stray dog. She looked up when a new person entered the recreation room.

"Hello, welcome!", she said looking right at the new arrival. The man just looked back at her, a surprised expression on his face. "Have you come to hear about peace. I was just saying that if we continue fighting then there will be more deaths, and that we should try to negotiate with the colonies instead of trying to bully them with force. What do you think, soldier?"

Before the man was able to answer, another person came into the room. He turned to the man who had entered just before him and said, "Are you the new recruit on the commander's wife's security detail?"

"Yes."

"Good, the commander's wife wants to see you. She wants to give you your welcome." The man said this last part with a slight smirk.

The first man nodded, and made a move to follow the second man.

The woman stopped him. "By the way soldier, what's your name?"

The first man replied without turning around. "Heero."

"Nice to meet you Heero. I'm Lady Une. I hope we can talk again later." And with that Heero left, while Lady Une continued with her speech.

The commander's wife was feeling giddy, just like she did when she started this little ritual of her's. It had begun as a way to get back at her husband for forcing her into this loveless marriage. Then gradually, when he didn't confront her even though everyone knew what was going on, she did it for the companionship, for the human contact. She knew what everyone called her, and she didn't give a shit. Whore, slut, whatever they called her she didn't care. She got what she wanted and the men were happy, so what did it matter?

She still remembered when she was forced into marrying Treize. She was only sixteen to his twenty-five, and it was right after he had won the war. It was actually his second in command, the now deceased Zechs Merquise, who had made the match. She supposed that he had heard of her through her father, the once foreign minister, who had been killed along with her mother when they were visiting the colonies. She was pretty, young, and rich, a perfect match for the commander.

The day her parents were killed was the day she stopped caring. It was the beginning of the war, and she just ignored all that was happening, going to balls and having brunches with her friends, oblivious to the death and destruction going on outside her ivory tower.

When she had been approached with the marriage proposal she had been flattered at first. The most powerful man in the universe wanted her to be his wife, and she would be an idiot to turn it down. They were married two months after the war, a grand event that was broadcast all over the world. She was viewed as the luckiest girl on earth.

She knew from the beginning that it would be a loveless marriage. She was Treize's trophy, and she played the part well. She began 'greeting' the new recruits about a year after the marriage, something to keep her busy while she waited for Treize to require her presence at another ball or banquet. She had been doing this for so long that she couldn't even remember the faces anymore, they all blended together into one indistinct memory. By her own estimates there had been over 150, probably closer to 200, and she had long ago ceased to become excited about it. Now it was just like any other chore, something to get done quickly and efficiently.

But this time was different. She had heard that this latest recruit was not like all the others, quiet and not at all interested in her. This was a refreshing change from the ones who would come in practically drooling and falling all over themselves. She had also heard that this one was quiet handsome, another bonus.

Heero followed the man who had come to get him, still confused about the incident that had just taken place. Wasn't Lady Une married to Treize? If she wasn't, then who the hell was he being led to at the moment?

They stopped outside a door where two guards were stationed, both nodding their acknowledgement. The soldier who had led him here stepped out of the way and motioned for Heero to continue through the door. When Heero hesitated the man gave him a little nudge, and whispered, "Don't be nervous. I've heard she's gentle with new meat." The man chucked as he opened the door for Heero and pushed him inside.

Heero looked around the room, a bit nervous about the whole situation. Did they really expect him to have sex with Treize's wife?

"Hello." The voice brought his attention to the shadowed bed, where he noticed for the first time a person lying on it. The person, a woman, stood up and stepped into the light.

"Relena?!"

The woman smiled and walked over to Heero. "I see you've heard of me. I've heard of you too." Her eyes trailed over his body slowly, running her hands over his chest while he just stood there, shocked. "And I must say, I am not disappointed." She was going to enjoy this one.

Relena grabbed a handful of Heero's hair and brought him down for a kiss. Her mouth came over his, her other hand moving underneath his shirt to feel his skin. She pulled back after a few seconds and looked up to meet his wide eyes.

"What's the matter, a bit shy? Don't be," she said while she trailed her fingers over his lips. She ripped open his shirt, revealing his chest and smiled. "Very nice," she whispered while she brought him down for another kiss.

Heero was still dazed after finding Relena in the room where Treize's wife was supposed to be. As she ripped open his shirt and began kissing him again he thought over the situation in which he currently found himself in.

"I'm supposed to have sex with the person in this room, who also happens to be Treize's wife. Relena is the only person in the room. Therefore, Relena is married to Treize, and I am supposed to have sex with her. Good, I finally got it all straight." As Heero was thinking all of this, Relena was leading him over to the bed, trying to take off his pants. Once Heero felt himself laying on the soft bed, with Relena on top of him pulling his pants off, he finally snapped back into reality.

"Relena, what are you doing!" he practically yelled as he maneuvered himself out from under her.

"Come back here and I'll show you exactly what I'm doing", she replied.

"Relena, what happened to you? You never do stuff like this."

At this Relena got up off the bed. "First of all, you don't know me so you have no right to judge me. Second, how dare you speak to me in that way? You will treat me with the respect I deserve. And third, shut up and get back on that bed!" With that she grabbed his arm, trying to drag him towards the bed.

Heero resisted her and made to leave the room when he heard sobbing.

No one had turned Relena down before. Every single man she had wanted she had gotten, and with very little effort on her part. But this man was rejecting her, and she couldn't take it. All of the years living like this, without loving and being loved, caught up with her, with the rejection serving as the spark that lit the explosion.

She slumped down on the floor next to the bed, burying her face in her hands, mildly surprised that she was actually capable of crying. She thought that her heart had grown too cold to shed tears a long time ago.

Relena felt arms come around her, and she pushed against the body that the arms belonged to. She knew that is was the soldier who had rejected her and she didn't need his pity.

Heero ignored her protests and kept on holding her, somehow knowing that it wasn't sex she needed but a hug, just a simple hug.

Relena began to relax and leaned into Heero's embrace, realizing that there was use in fighting.

After awhile Heero heard Relena's sobs begin to lessen and then stop. He looked down at her and saw that she still had her head on his chest.

"I wish it could have been different soldier, I wish I had been different. Maybe if I had been stronger during the war I wouldn't be where I am today, alone and miserable. But I didn't have any hope, everyone I loved was dead. If I just had something to hope for, anything at all, a person, an idea, something, it would have been different. I just know it. All I needed was hope."

Heero thought about the Relena he knew, all the encounters that they had had during the war. He realized that he had been her hope, a hope that there would be life after war. She chased him to keep herself sane, reminding herself to keep on going and fight for tomorrow, because maybe that would be the day she would finally catch him.

As he held Relena in his arms he knew that she was his hope too. She represented everything he fought for, for peace and for the people who couldn't fight. He would have been dead long ago if it wasn't for her.

Relena looked up at Heero and put her hand to his cheek, while he smoothed back the hair that had fallen into her face.

"Why couldn't I have known you during the war?"