Disclaimer: not mine.

Okay, people, I'm trying my best here! *tired glance* To those of you that think I've dragged this angst thing out way too long, gomen ne. This is my first romance fic and I'm not quite sure how romance fics are traditionally written. I'll do better in the future.

There. Her laugh rang like silver bell chimes, drawing him to her in a second. She was beautiful in her finery, garnets flashing at her throat like crystal fire. Long evening gloves enfolded her delicate hands and as she twirled a glass of champagne in her fingers, surrounded by a group of people that was about her age. She flashed a smile at a dark-haired teenager, touching his arm lightly with her fingertips, and he could almost feel a growl of jealousy rise in his chest.

That stopped him short and Persian blue eyes blinked in mocking surprise. Jealousy? Since when did I feel jealous because of her?

Duh, Yuy. Maybe since you found out you were in love with her? That voice again. This time, however, Heero decided to try to reason this out with himself, even though it seemed he was going mad in the processand why did his conscience have to sound like Duo??

I'm in love with her?! Since when?

Damn, you are SO dense! Since Libra, bakayaroo! His inner voice took on Duo's intonations and Heero could almost see the flashing of violet eyes, as Duo grinned crookedly, "I've got everything I want Heerothat's all that matters."

Do I want her then?

He didn't realize he had spoken aloud until a sardonic voice said almost in his ear, "Correction, Perfect Soldier, the question should be if she still wants you." Heero tensed, glancing behind him at the shadowy figure of Milliardo Peacecraft with unemotional eyes.

"Zechs."

"What are you doing here, Yuy?" Milliardo's voice was soft and implacable. His arms were clenched tightly at his sides as he regarded the slender Gundam pilot with quiet hostility.

Heero countered, "How did you find me?"

Milliardo's mouth thinned derisively as he said smoothly, "Come on, Yuy. A dark shadow slips past the guards and is coincidentally skulking around Releena? Who else could it have been?" His eyes hardened noticeably, going from cold to downright freezing. "Leave, Heero."

Heero glared coolly back, unfazed as he answered softly, "I need to talk with her."

"My guess is that you've talked way too much, hurt her too much. You can't even begin to understand the pain she went through when you left the first time, then when you rejected her the second time." Milliardo's expression had taken on the deadly glare that had made him the ideal leader of the White Fang, a soldier's face; with no pity or remorse. His face, softened by three years of peace, had stiffened again into a frigid mask of animosity that had sustained him through war time. "But now, I'm asking you nicely to leave."

"No."

Muttering an oath, Milliardo tossed back the curtains that had been hiding part of the view, gesturing at his sister, "Look at her, Heero. She's finally gotten over you! She's happy! When you come, all you do is dissolve just a bit more of her innocence, kill a little more of the part of her that makes her love her people. You-are-destroying-her!" Heero's whole body stiffened as Milliardo's voice found his vulnerability. Milliardo watched his old enemy for a while, seeing a quick expression of pain flash across Heero's features before he composed himself into a cold mask again.

"I'm not leaving her, Zechs."

Milliardo's eyes wandered to his sister as she swept the room with her eyes, plainly, to him, growing a little tired, but smiling and forcing her laughter anyway. She seemed determined to have a good time, even though her heart was definitely not in it. He nodded slowly, not bothering to look back at the pilot. "Fine. But only if you give me your word that you won't try to meet with her."

There was a long pause, but finally, in a dull emotionless whisper, Heero answered, "I promise." For the first time, Zechs wondered if what he was doing was right. He knew that in the past, Heero had hurt his baby sister, unintentionally or otherwise, but there had been such anguish in Heero's face as he had verbally attacked him, as if something had finally opened his eyes. But, it was best this way. Best if Releena forgot about him, about the pain that came with Heero's namewasn't it?

As if his silent question had been answered by a god, it was right then that Releena happened to turn to speak with Dorothy. Instead, her eyes glanced over the room with absent alertness, stopped, then went straight back to the two men that stood on the balcony above her.

***

Releena felt the color drain from her face like water trickling down a slope. No, make that roaring over a waterfall. What was he doing here?? Dorothy was looking at her quizzically and glanced upwards as well, her own blue eyes narrowing into tight slits.

"Yuy." She hissed quietly and took Releena by the arm, forcing a smile to her thin lips. "Miss Releena, I don't think I'm feeling quite wellcould you escort me to my room?" She smiled in counterfeit sickliness at the others, leaning a little against Releena for support. Releena immediately put her arms around Dorothy, her expression one of confusion which she tried to cover with a diplomat's façade.

"I-" Releena glanced at the others in her circle, but they laughed good-naturedly, parting a way for the two girls to walk out of.

Releena whispered, lips not moving except to flash a brief smile at the others, "Thank you Dorothybut Heerowhy is he here?"

"Trust me Miss Releena, I'd like to know myself." They were in the halls now, and Releena's tight mask melted into features of misery and bewilderment as she let herself practically be dragged to her room, stumbling a little on the hem of her dress.

"What am I going to do, Dorothy? I don't even know what to say to him anymore!" Releena wailed softly and Dorothy stopped, turning to Releena with hard resolve masking her features.

"Listen, Miss Releena. Do you love him?" Not bothering to give her time to respond, Dorothy continued, "If you do, you've got to stand up for yourself. You've got to stop making yourself seem like a frail Labrador that he can summon at his own pleasure. Tell him what you want, Miss Releena." The two girls stared at each other a moment more before they resumed their way to Releena's room.

***

Milliardo meanwhile was headed the same way, a curse on his lips and Heero at his heels. "Damn. She saw you. What god has blessed us with this infernally ill luck?" Heero didn't respond as they skidded to a halt at Releena's door, which was locked. Milliardo drew the key from his coat pocket and unlocked it with hurried movements and they both burst insideto be met with the point of Dorothy's saber.

She smiled thinly, her arm not wavering as she said coldly, "Mr. Yuy. What a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately, it is one that we will both have to forgo since you will be leaving immediately." Heero raised his eyes to the ice-blue eyes of the other girl, testing her will as Milliardo edged past them, ignored, to talk softly with Releena.

Releena's quiet voice broke the tension softly, "It's quite all right, Dorothy. I'd like to speak with Heero alone, if you don't mind." Dorothy hesitated, then nodded, walking out the door.

As she passed him, she said in an almost inaudible voice, "First strike: Libra. Second strike: after the Barton incident. Third strike: five days ago. You're lucky, Mr. Yuy. You get one more chance. Don't make a fourth one." Milliardo also nodded to Heero as he left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Releena was looking outside at the glowing orbs of the streetlights, not facing him as she said, "I didn't expect to see you again, Heero." He hesitated, unsure of what to say when she laughed abruptly, turning to lean her back against the pane of glass as she asked bitterly, "Did you come as another favor, Heero? Will you be going soon?" There was hurt in her voice that she had never displayed before.

"I'm not leaving tonight, Releena."

"Then when?" Her hands were wrapped around her body as she glared at him through tear-blurred eyes, "You'll stay will you? Until when? Tomorrow? The next day? When your next mission comes in?"

"You are my mission-"

"I don't want to be your mission!" Tears that she had sworn would never fall again swam down her cheeks as she choked, closing her eyes against the flood, "Why can't you understand that? Why can't you justjust accept me for who I am? I'm no-" Suddenly, warm fingers slipped under her chin, raising her face to look into cobalt blue eyes that were strangely tender. Another hand moved to encircle her waist, pulling her close as Heero claimed her lips in her first kiss.

It was a simple one, no tongue in mouth, no french kiss, merely a press of one warm mouth on another as two lovers that had parted ways under the winter's snow three years ago came to rest, back in each other's arms. At fifteen, they had been too young to really understand the gift they had been given, but at ten and nine, they weren't that naïve. They knew the exact worth of their love and in it, they were content to remain until spring's rays shone against the foggy winter's sky with news of hope, joy, and most of all love. So for that, dear my readers, I urge you. Seek your own love, find your own way, and most of all, live on, and never give up.

Author's note: r&r please.