Disclaimer: Yeah, I don't own Gundam Wing, but neither do you, so there. ^_^

I know I said I wouldn't write anymore 'til next week, but I just couldn't help myself. Hee hee. It's rather shortbut this is it! I have homework! Aurgh!! Ah, who am I kidding. I'll make time. Enjoy, readers o' mine!

Releena stepped on off the plane, smiling a trifle breathlessly as she looked around. The hazy heat of midday had turned the desert sands into a brilliant collage of gold on dun. Palm trees swayed idly in a small oasis, the slight breeze a welcome change from the stifling, hot interior of the plane. Bright pink flamingos screeched loudly at each other, flocking and splashing in the water like children and Relena laughed, a touch of color flushing her cheeks. With the heat waves blurring the picture before her, they almost looked like her pink limo. Without the wheels, of course.

Quatre was watching her closely, and smiled, secretly pleased, as he called the others off the plane. He smiled, waving as he and Dorothy slipped back inside. "Don't worry about a thing, Miss Releena! We'll handle everything!"

Releena turned to them, the diplomat in her still cringing as she called back, "Dorothy, are you sure you can handle that advisory meeting with the Board? I can-"

Dorothy merely laughed, "Don't worry, Miss Relena! I've heard all your wonderful speeches before and I know exactly what to say. I'll emphasize on the peace in intercolonial relationships, bring up a few battles, commiserating over the lives lost, but pointing out that they have led us to where we are today. Then I'll conclude on a positive note on the future. Isn't that what I should do, Miss Releena?"

The Vice-Foreign minister smiled helplessly at the basic summary, "Yes, Dorothy, that's perfect. Thank you."

"I assure you, Miss Releena, Mr. Winner and I will be able to take care of everything! Just relax and get well!" The two blondes disappeared back into the cabin and soon, the plane pointed its nose to the sky, taking off with a roar of the engines. Releena sighed, shielding her eyes as she watched her last thread to the political court being severed in the form of a leaving jet.

"I hope I didn't forget to tell them anything," She murmured quietly, her blue eyes wide and anxious, "The board meeting, the delegation from the West, theeek!" Suddenly, ice-cold water was dumped over her head, and she sputtered, pushing back her stringy gold blonde hair as she whirled to face her attacker. Duo grinned devilishly, an empty pail swinging lightly from his fingers as he regarded her slyly. Hilde stopped a few meters away, her face expressing horror, then reluctant hilarity as Releena just stood there, stunned, looking for all the world like a beached fish.

"Hmmnothing like a water fight to start off a vacation, eh, oujisan?" Duo smirked and Hilde went up to him, punching him lightly on the arm, then leaned against that same arm as she struggled to control herself.

"Idiot." She choked, tears of mirth streaming down her face, "Grow*chuckle*grow uphee heeDuo!" Using Hilde as a distraction, Releena grabbed the pail from him and slammed it over his head, laughing freely for the first time in many years.

"Hey!"

"Omae o korosu, Duo!" She yelled, stumbling slightly as her soft slippers caught in the fine grains of sand, lurching unsteadily after him.

"Where'd a pretty girl like you learn to talk like that?" Duo demanded cheerfully, dodging Releena's threatening pail with a silly grin on his face. "Not that you can actually back up your threat" The three teenagers laughed as the Hilde and Releena chased a yelling Duo back to the main house where the others were waiting for them, acting like the children they never were, children they were never allowed to be

***

Quatre glanced at Dorothy, smiling slightly as he asked, "We aren't going to go to the Board meeting, are we, Miss Catalonia?"

"No, Mr. Winner, we are not." Dorothy answered, managing to keep a straight face as she sipped a little mineral water from her glass. "The Board has *ahem* conveniently postponed their meeting date until two weeks in the future."

"Oh? And the delegation from the west?"

Dorothy's lips twitched slightly, "For some strange reason, the head representative has suddenly developed a strong case of pneumonia. Unfortunately, they will not be able to send another delegation until a much-postponed date. Why the interrogation, Mr. Winner? Don't you trust my judgement?" Quatre couldn't control himself as he laughed, his blue eyes twinkling merrily.

"Of course, Miss Catalonia. Of course." Dorothy allowed a grin to slip into her normally controlled features as well, barely able to prevent her own laughter from joining his.

An easy friendship settled between them as Quatre raised a platinum blonde brow, "Somight I ask where we are going?"

Dorothy smiled slyly, looking pleased with herself as she assumed control of the plane, guiding it expertly to the next way station where a shuttle 'just happened' to be waiting. Purely by incidence, of course. "Why colony L2., quarter five, of course. An important man is waiting there that Miss Releena simply must meet."

"All ready?" Quatre slipped out of the game they were playing, "How did you-"

Dorothy's cat-in-cream smile got wider, "Heero Yuy isn't the only hacker in these parts, Mr. Winner."

"Hmmm. I see"

***

Heero glared at his laptop with cold anger, seriously trying to decide whether or not to vent his frustration on it by shooting it to pieces. He rubbed his bloodshot eyes wearily, slumping into the couch with a sigh full of pain and frustration. The small wallet sized photo still in his hand as it had been every minute since he had heard of Releena's collapse and the edges were getting a little worn. What happened to you? He asked the girl in the picture. You were supposed to grow up, be happy

A recent camera shot that had aired on the television flashed through his mind and he groaned, dragging his finger through his spiky hair as if trying to drag the memory out of his mind as well. She had grown beautiful, her innocence giving way to a more serious wisdom. Poised and gracious in every way, her brilliant smile had almost made him forget how very thin she was nowalmost. Yes, she was much thinner, dangerously so, in fact, her heart shaped face thin and worn, her eyes losing its vivacious sparkle. She looked tired, not of only being the world's representative, but of the world in general, the world and its problems, its sorrows, all piling on her thin shoulders.

I didn't fight just for you to become that! He thought savagely, unconsciously clenching his fist. I fought for your ideals, your beliefsI wanted you to be happy, damn it. The expression on his face didn't change from the quiet, thoughtful expression that had been drilled into him, but his eyes reflected the dangerous anger that was working through his system.

If you want her to be happyyou should see her Heero, see how she's doing

Heero immediately brushed that idea away. She doesn't need me. I'm a part of her past that she needs to forget.

Why?

She needs to be with people that don't have the blood of thousands on his hands. I'm a soldier, she's a diplomat. It wouldn't workand I'm talking to myself. Heero sighed in disgust, standing up again restlessly.

"I haven't seen you for three years Releena," He said aloud, "You will stop haunting me!" Butactually he had. For every day that she had walked from the streets to her limo, he had been watching her, protecting her like a silent Angel. For every night she had cried in her pillow, he knew. He knew her probably better than she did herself; what made her smile, what made her sad, when she was happy, when her smile was one forced for the camera. He knew when she had sat talking all night at an ambassador's suit, urging him to sign a treaty of peace with the colonies, when anti-peace hostility factions had tried to break the barricades that protected her as she spoke to the citizens of Earth.

Resolutely, he stood up, refusing to look at the TV that just begged to be turned on. He knew that if he did, he would only see her and he would want to go to her againwhich was absolutely out of the question!

He was so preoccupied that he almost didn't hear the quiet murmur of voices at his door or the slight scratch of a lockpick. Unholstering his gun, he bounded silently out the back window, going around the building with quiet, catlike stealth.

"We really shouldn't do this"

"Oh hush. Think about Miss Re-" A gun suddenly clicked ominously and the two intruders spun around hastily, the guy looking uncomfortably guilty, but the girl just smiled carelessly, her fingers delicately caressing the hilt of her saber that was strapped to her waist.

"Hello Mr. Yuy. Sothis is where you've been hiding yourself all this time."

Author's note: Yay! We finally meet Heero! Finally! After 5 episodes of writing! Yay! Okay, if you write a review, can you tell me one thing? Are these characters getting way off their usual behavior, or is it just me? r&r is always appreciated, dear my readers. May you write that you have enjoyed this little fic o' mine, and if you didn't tell me why, how I can improve, and anything else you want. And flames *sweatdrop* uhokay, if you want...I'm partial to fires. But you'd better have a really good reason :P! Luv y'all, have a nice night.