Disclaimer: Not mine already!

Author's Notes: Story coming along good. Hand hurts from typing. Bed looks comfortable. Goodnight moon. By the way, before I forget, sorry about that whole time thing in the last story. Everything up to and including noon should be PM not AM. I have no sense of time.

Dedication: To sleep, perchance to dream.

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Going to the Chapel
by Kristen Elizabeth

****

2:00 PM

"Vice Foriegn Minister....over here, Vice Foriegn Minister!!"

"Miss Relena....smile, Miss Relena!"

"You look beautiful, Miss Relena....you're going to be a lovely bride."

Relena held her hand up to her eyes to shield the sunlight. She cleared her throat and prepared to address the reporters who had come to cover her wedding. "Thank you all. I appreciate the public's active interest in their elected leaders, but I'm afraid I have a request of you all."

The reporters were quiet except for the click and flash of many cameras. Relena continued. "This is my wedding day. Hopefully, the only one I will ever have. And on this day, I would like very much if I did not have to be your Vice Foriegn Minister. I'd like to be Relena Peacecraft, becoming Relena Peacecraft-Yuy. But to do that, I need your cooperation. If you'll all promise to refrain from running your cameras during the ceremony, my husband and I will arrange a special photo session after the wedding, exclusively for the press."

A hand shot up. "Miss Relena...where is your fiancee? Is Commander Yuy planning on making a statement before the wedding?"

Relena looked puzzled. "You know something. That is a very good question." She smiled brightly. "I'll let you know as soon as I know. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Miss Relena!!"

"Vice Foriegn Minister!!"

Ignoring them all, Relena turned to go back into the house. Hilde met her at the patio's French doors. "How did it go?"

Relena looked at her friend. "Hilde...where is Heero? I know I'm not supposed to see him before the ceremony, but it just occured to me that I'm not even one hundred percent sure he's in this house at all."

Hilde cleared her throat. "He's....around."

"Yes, but where?" The bride to be heaved a great sigh. "I miss him."

"Listen...why don't you go upstairs..." Hilde maneuvered her friend to the foyer. "Take a long hot bath and start getting ready for the ceremony. Leave everything else to us, including the press."

Relena smiled. "I can't believe I'm going to be Heero's wife in just three hours."

Hilde's smile was weak. "Oh yeah. Three hours. Go on...upstairs with you." She watched as Relena climbed the grand staircase, a dreamy look of love in her eyes. Once she was out of sight, Hilde's smile fell. She looked at her watch for the hundreth time in the past ten minutes. "Okay you two. Where the *hell* are you??"

****

2:30 PM

"Jeremiah was a bullfrog!! Was a good friend of mine!! Never understood a single word he..."

Heero reached over and turned off the car's radio with a solid click.

"Hey!" Duo protested.

The groom's eyes never left the road. "You are walking a line thinner than ever with me, Duo. One more chorus of that song, and you can kiss your chances of reproduction goodbye."

Duo flopped back in the car seat. "Look, I offered to do this by myself. But you had to come along for the ride. So, why should you get to play radio-god?"

"Because it's my wedding day, my car and I have a gun."

"Good reasons." Duo was quiet for a minute. "Are you sure you know where you're going?"

Heero glanced down at the hastily scribbled instructions from the man at the ice sculpture warehouse. "Of course I know where I'm going; it's not that difficult. Keep your eyes open for..." He squinted at the paper before looking back at the road. "...the Hilton Regency. That's where the man said the sculpture was sent to."

Duo pressed the lock button on the passenger side door up and down. "I wonder what kind of party calls for a six foot naked dude made out of ice?"

"Beats the hell out of me," Heero replied. "And I couldn't give a damn. All I want is to get the ring and get back before Relena realizes I'm gone."

"Yeah, about that..." Duo took his hand off the lock mechanism. "I'm sorry, man. I wasn't thinking."

Heero lifted one shoulder. "It's not the worst thing you've ever done, Maxwell."

Duo grinned. "So, I'm forgiven?"

"If you want to think about it like that, yeah."

"Great!" Duo sat up straight in his seat. "Right! Go right!! There it is!"

Tires screeched as Heero made a very sharp turn to pull into the hotel's parking lot. The car jolted as he stopped suddenly in an empty slot. He turned his glare onto his best man. "Thanks for the early warning."

"Anytime." Duo undid his belt and climbed out of the car. "What are you waiting for? C'mon!"

Heero shook his head. "Baka..."

****

2:35 PM

"Lu?" Millardo ran over to his wife. She was hunched over, supported by the dining room table, her free hand pressed to her rounded belly. "Lu....what is it? Is it time??"

She shook her head. "No...no. He's just....kicking. Really, really hard!"

Her husband's arm encircled her. "Here..." He guided her to a small love seat. "Lie down, Lu." Worried, he kneeled down and took her hand. "Can I get you anything?"

"Forceps?" Noin smiled upon seeing his face grow pale. "I'm fine, sweetie. Nothing a couple hours of labor won't cure."

"I thought Sally said it'd be about twenty hours." He closed his mouth. "I mean....yes, of course. A couple hours." Millardo raised the back of her hand to his lips. "I'm so sorry, Lu."

"What on earth for?" Noin cupped his cheek. "It takes two, baby. And you know I want this. I'd endure anything to have this child."

He gently rubbed her stomach. "When I think about you having to be in pain...."

"It'll be worth it. I say that to you now because when the time actually comes, I'll probably feel much differently about it."

"I love you. You know that, right?"

Noin guided him up for a sweet kiss. "I love you, too." She cleared her throat. "How is everything looking for the wedding?"

"The food has all arrived. The reception hall is decorated. They're just setting up the chairs out in the garden." He thought for a minute. "Relena is getting ready and the reporters are being amazingly respectful."

"And what's the happy groom up to?"

Millardo blinked. "I have no idea." He shrugged. "I'm sure he's around here somewhere."

Noin nodded and idly stroked her belly. "Where else would he be?"

****

2:45 PM

"Excuse me..." Heero addressed the bellhop behind the counter of the Hilton Regency. "Is there a party going on here today? Perhaps one that has an ice sculpture of the David?"

The bellhop raised his eyebrows. "Second floor. Ballroom. You're a little late, aren't you?"

Without replying, Heero started for the elevators. Duo smiled at the bellhop and followed him. They rode the elevator in silence and once they stepped out onto the second floor, they could hear loud music. Heero pointed down the carpeted hallway. "This way."

As they approached the open doors to the ballroom, the sounds of laughter and music became overwhelming. A large table was just outside the door, piled with presents. "I think it's a wedding," Duo guessed.

"Keep a low profile," Heero said as they walked into the room. "Locate target, retrieve item, retreat. Got it?"

Duo nodded. "Roger." The two men came to a stop as they entered the crowded ballroom. Their eyes scanned the crowd. "Hey, Heero...do you feel like something is missing here?"

Heero didn't hear him. His eyes landed upon the buffet table, adorned with a six foot recreation of the David. In ice. "Target located. Retrieval proceding."

"It's really strange, Heero," Duo continued as he followed his friend. "Something is off about this place....something like the fact that..."

They approached the buffet table. Of course, there was a line on both sides. And the David lay at the opposite end. "Damn," Heero said. "Complications."

"Heero." Duo tugged on his sleeve. "There are no girls here."

For the first time, Heero looked around. "What do you mean? It's a wedding. Surely there must be..." His gaze fell on a large banner spread across one wall of the room. *Congratulations, James and Ted*

Duo gulped. "Heero.....we're not in Kansas anymore."

****

2:55 PM

"God...Wufei....god, that is so good..."

Wufei lifted his head from between his girlfriend's thighs. "Come for me, Sally," he said, in his lowest, sexiest voice. The voice that made her knees weak.

One hand gripped the throw pillow underneath her head. The other was firmly planted in his hair as he disappeared under her skirt again. Her back arched as he brought her to a second fierce orgasm. Her mouth dropped open in a silent cry. When her body relaxed a bit, Wufei straightened up, licking his lips. He lay on top of her on the chaise lounge and gave her a long, wet kiss.

"Mmm..." Sally squirmed underneath him, still reveling in the pleasure only he could bring her. "I love you so much, Wufei."

He was quiet for a long minute. "Yes," was all he finally said.

Sally's eyes opened. His weight was comfortable on her. She took a breath. "I wish you could love me, too," she whispered.

Wufei lifted himself onto one arm and looked down at her. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." She turned her head to the side to avoid his eyes. "It's just wishful thinking." Forcing a smile onto her lips, she looked back at him. "This is enough for me. What we have here."

"But will it always be?"

Sally tilted her head back on the pillows to keep her tears at bay. "Don't ask me that. Okay?" Wufei nodded. Clearing her throat, Sally pushed on his chest so she could stand. "I'm a mess. I had better go get cleaned up."

He watched her go, but did not move. The taste of her sweet passion was still on his lips and tongue. For a brief moment, he tried to imagine what his life would be like without Sally in it. Some unidentifiable ache clutched his heart.

Shaking his head violently, he climbed off the chaise lounge and went in search of a stiff drink.

****

3:00 PM

"Okay....status check." Duo cleared his throat. "We are two relatively attractive guys, together, in a room full of a gay men, celebrating someone's commitment ceremony."

Heero glanced around. "That's about the gist of it."

"Oh man..." His friend buried his face in his hands. "How do we get into these situations??"

The man behind them, dressed in a white suit with lacy cuffs, gave them a strange look. "Is your boyfriend all right?" he asked Heero.

Heero blinked, speechless for the first time in his life. "He's not my...", he managed to get out before the other man cut him off.

"Well, then....is he single?"

Duo lifted his head from his hands. "Get out of here!" With his nose in the air, the man turned on his heel and left the buffet line.

"So much for blending in," Heero muttered.

"So much for friendship!" Duo put his hands on his hips. "Look at my hair, Heero. I am fodder for this crowd!! They love my kind!! The least you could do is pretend to be my boyfriend!"

"Are you insane?" Heero dropped his voice to a harsh whisper, to avoid being noticed. "I will do many things in the name of undercover work. But pretending to be your lover is too much!"

Duo glanced around him to the other people in the line. "In case you hadn't noticed, there are about five people staring at your ass. If you want to get out of here as the same man you were when you came in, you'll be more than happy to do this." He grabbed Heero's arm and stuck his own through it. "For the next half hour, find me irresistible."

"This is ridiculous..." The line inched forward. Heero's scowl deepened. "I'm supposed to be married in two hours."

Duo grabbed two plates and stuck one in Heero's hand. "Might as well have a snack while we're here..."

Heero ignored him and kept ranting. "This is all your fault. If you hadn't lost the ring, we wouldn't be here, holding hands." He looked down as Duo began heaping both their plates with finger food, as though realizing for the first time that his arm was entwined with the other man's. He pulled it away, nearly spilling both plates.

A man across the table eyed them with a curious stare. "How long have you two been together?" he asked them.

Heero opened his mouth, but Duo quickly jumped into the conversation. "Two years. Two years this August."

"I knew it." The man bit into a strawberry. "You fight like you've been together forever."

"Yeah, well...." Heero glared. "Hell is eternal."

Duo laughed. "That's cute, honey." He smiled at the other man across the table. "He's got such a terrific sense of humor. Keeps me in stitches all night long."

The man nodded knowingly. "So, are you James' friends or Ted's?"

"Ted," Duo replied.

"James," Heero said at the same time.

The other man raised an eyebrow.

"We're actually just here for the food," Duo said, winking.

The man smiled, confused. His eyes traveled up and down Heero's body. "You know....you look so familiar. Have we met before?"

Heero scratched his cheek, not so discreetly trying to cover his face. "I'm pretty sure we haven't."

"You've been on the TV before, haven't you? You're a Preventer." When Heero didn't reply, the man pressed on. "Well....aren't you?"

Duo cleared his throat and looked at Heero. "Pumpkin, our little secret is apparently out." He took Heero's hand again. "It's not something the Preventers like to talk about, but they do have wonderful policies towards us. Don't ask, don't tell is a thing of the past. Tolerance is the word of the day."

A smattering of applause broke out around them. It was Heero's turn to bury his face in his hands.

By that time, the line had progressed down the far end of the table. Heero immediately pounced upon the David. A quick search later and he found the velvet box, tucked away at the base of the statue. "Finally," he muttered.

The man across the table caught the motion out of the corner of his eye. Swallowing a bite of food, he waved his hand in the air. "Oh my god! He's going to propose! That is so romantic!!"

Heero eyes grew wide. Without thinking twice, he grabbed Duo's sleeve and pulled him out of the buffet line. Strange looks followed the two men as they ran out the door. Heero didn't stop running and didn't release his death grip on Duo's arm until they were back at the car.

"Ow!" Duo cried. "Domestic abuse!!"

"Shut up and get in the car." Heero wrenched his door open, plopped down and jammed the key into the ignition. Laughing, Duo situated himself in the passenger's seat.

Long minutes passed as Heero raced down the highway, heading back to the Manor. Finally, he spoke. "If you ever even mention this to anyone...."

"My lips are sealed." Duo snickered. "Pumpkin."

A loud cry of pain emenated from the confines of the small car.

****

TBC