He couldn't help but stare at her as she moved across the ballroom floor with the grace of an angel.  Although he was safely hidden in the shadows, the darkness did nothing to obscure his view of the beautiful princess.  His beautiful princess.  Oh, how he wished that he could truly call her that.  How he had wanted to take her in his arms like that man was doing now, like he had done so long ago at the boarding school.  Like he had dreamed of doing every night for the passed three years.

He watched as the dance ended, and as the lucky man reluctantly let go of the honey-haired goddess.  He watched as she made her way out of the ballroom, and onto one of the large, open verandas that surrounded the upper floor of the Peacecraft Royal Palace.  He watched as she leaned onto the railing, and hung her head low.  He couldn't see her face, but he could tell from the slight shaking of her body that she was crying.  Why?  On her birthday, why would she stain that perfect face with tears?  He couldn't help but wonder what had caused her sadness on this day, the day of her eighteenth birthday celebration.

Summoning all of his courage, he silently made his way over to her.  He had only intended to watch from a distance; he had wanted to imprint a memory of her happy into his mind before he left.  She had always looked so sad in the past whenever he left on another mission, and he didn't want the sight of her sad face to follow him into battle.  However, it appeared that tonight would be no different from all of the other times that he left.

"Relena?" he asked quietly, tentatively.  He saw her head shoot up at the sound of his voice, and he felt his heart begin to break when her tear-stained face turned towards his unemotional one.

"Heero?" she replied, equally quiet, obviously unsure of what he was doing there.

Inside the ballroom, Heero heard the orchestra strike up another song.  He knew that this would most likely be the only chance he had to do this.  His courage and emotions were double-crossing him tonight, and he knew that, if this opportunity should ever arise again, he would probably not be brave enough to act upon it.

"Shh," he commanded gently, reaching to brush her tears away from her face.  "Dance with me."  He knew that his voice held more hopefulness in it than he had intended for it to.  His heart, however, ignored the mental berating as she slipped silently into his strong embrace.

He held her tightly, as if his life depended on it.  But then, he mused, it did.  She had inadvertently become everything to him since they had met, but it had only been in the last year that he had realized it.  Only since he had come to work at the Preventers and he had been able to see her every day, and not be occupied completely with wars and battles.  He had even let her a little closer to him, allowing her to become a friend.  

Friend.  The word cut through his thoughts like a knife.  No, he didn't want that anymore.  He knew that she had once held feelings for him, but had all of his previous attempts to push her away proven to be too much?  What did he mean to her now?  She never let on that she harbored any romantic feelings towards him anymore, and he couldn't help but listen to the nagging voice inside his head that told him he was too late.  Her concerns when he left on an assignment were nothing more than those of a close friend.  Weren't they?  

He had to know.  He had to find out tonight how she felt about him, if there was a chance for him.  For them.  He had to know if he had realized just how much she meant to him and how much he needed her too late.

He loosened his grip around her waist and pulled back to look down at her.  Her tears had stopped, but her eyes still glistened.  The soft lamplight emanating from the ballroom cast a glow around the veranda where they danced, and the full-moonlight played with her silky hair, giving it soft highlights and making her appear even more beautiful.  If that's even possible.

She looked up at him, confusion written all over her face.  She couldn't figure out why Heero was acting this way towards her.  He had come to treat her as a friend, and she gladly accepted whatever role in his life he was willing to give her, especially since it meant that he at least talked to her.  He even opened up to her, trusted her.  While she eagerly took these things, these precious gifts of companionship, she had never been given any indication that he felt anything beyond friendship for her.  So she kept her own feelings inside.  She refused to risk losing what she had finally gained.

Heero tried to find the right words.  How could he explain everything that he had kept pent up inside for so long?  He wasn't even sure if he wanted to talk, for fear of chasing away this moment, this wonderful moment.  He had his love in his arms, and she was making no moves to leave as they swayed slightly to the faint waltz beat from within the palace.  Choosing not to speak just yet, he tightened his grip again, and pulled her closer to his body.  She seemed to mold perfectly against him, and he felt his heart swell with both happiness that this was finally happening, and sadness that this would eventually have to end. 

He didn't want to let go.  This moment, although unexpected, was something he had secretly wished for ever since their first and only other dance three years ago.  It seemed like an eternity for Heero, since he had last felt this angel in his arms.  He only wished that they could stay like this forever.

"You're going to leave again, aren't you?"  Relena's soft voice cut through both of their trains of thought.  Still keeping herself close to Heero, she tilted her head upwards to stare into the captivating Prussian-blue depths of his eyes.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice as neutral as he could make it.  "There's another uprising in South America.  This one looks like it'll take a while to get rid of."  He hated to hear those words leave his mouth, but he knew that stopping the rebels who would threaten peace was his duty.  If I can do nothing else for you, Relena, at least I can keep the peace you work so hard for intact, he thought sadly.

"Oh."  She turned her head back down, so that he wouldn't be able to see the fresh tears glistening in her eyes.  She knew that he didn't love her the way she loved him, but his unemotional attitude was killing her.  

I'm sorry, Relena.  Heero instinctively tightened his arms around her when he felt her try to control her sobbing.  I don't know what else to do.  

He knew that he couldn't reveal his feelings for her, at least not yet.  All this time, he had kept his emotionless mask up, only praying that some hint of his feelings for her showed through in his eyes.  It was all he could do, pray that she would look beyond his facade, and understand how deep his love for her ran.  How can I tell you what I feel after so long?  He didn't even consider that she was crying because she didn't want to lose him.  He only held her and danced, reveling in the moment, imprinting it on his memory.

His mind wandered to his upcoming mission.  Even though both he and Duo were going, it would take at least a few weeks, if not months, to stomp out the brushfire in the Amazon.  Again, his heart berated him for being such a coward, for not telling her how he felt.  But again, he knew that he couldn't, not without knowing what she felt for him, if she even felt anything anymore.  

His emotions screamed at him.  He wouldn't see her for weeks, maybe months, and all he was doing about it was be a bystander.  This was quite possibly last chance he would have to tell her how he felt for several months, and he wasn't using the splendid opportunity that Fate had provided him.  But then, he had always passed by the chances he had to tell Relena that he loved her.  It seemed as if he was doomed to forever be an onlooker in his own life.

He suddenly felt Relena's arms tighten around his neck.  With a sharp intake of breath, Heero used all of his willpower to not melt right there at the feel of her body pressed so close to his.  No, he couldn't let this break his resolve!  He couldn't snap now.  He couldn't let her clutching of him to help alleviate her quiet sobs cause him to spew forth his words of love for her.

"I don't want you to leave."  Her voice was quiet, almost inaudible.  But the intensity of and emotion behind her words struck at Heero to the very core of his being.

Heero felt his resolve begin to crumble.

Unsure of what to do, Heero went with his instincts.  He let his hands gently rub up and down her small back, trying his best to comfort her.  It was beginning to kill him, keeping everything he felt inside.  He wasn't sure if he would even make it to the mission if he did not end this wonder.  He needed to tell her how he felt, and he needed to do it tonight.  Otherwise, he couldn't guarantee that he would be able to concentrate enough on the mission to stay alive.  And not coming back to her, regardless of how she felt, was not an option.  

He said the only thing he could think of to start.  "I don't want to leave either."

Relena's head shot up.  Her tears shone on her face, illuminating it in the soft glow of the Moon.  "What?" she whispered.

Taking a deep breath, Heero knew that there was no turning back now.  He had to tell her, even if she didn't feel the same way.  "Relena, I..."  Oh, God, how do I even begin?  Where do I begin?  "Relena, for so long now, I've..."

His voice trailed off.  All of the various speeches that he had practiced in his head, all of the different ways to tell her, flashed through his mind.  but now that the moment of truth had actually arrived, Heero found that none of the practiced words did his feelings for her justice.  Nothing he could think of to say seemed to be quite right.

She stared up in anticipation.  "You've..."  Relena waited for Heero to continue.  In her heart, she prayed that he was going to say that he loved her, but her rational side quickly reminded her that those kinds of thoughts were what caused her so many tears in the past.  

"I..."  Just say it!  "Relena..." he took a deep breath, and prepared for the worst.  "Aishiteru, Relena."

They stopped dancing, although the music continued to play.  Relena stared up at Heero in shock.  For both of them, time seemed to stand still, and Heero felt any hopes he may have had die with each successive moment that passed.  Her silence could only mean one thing.  She doesn't feel the same.  "Gomen, Relena.  But...but I had to tell you before I left.  I'll be going now."

He turned to walk away, but Relena grabbed his hand to prevent him from going anywhere.  She looked at his face, trying to find some clue as to what had made him say that.  "Heero..." seemed to be the only word she could say.

His head hung down, his bangs obscuring his face.  He couldn't let her see him now, not when he knew that there were tears building up in his eyes.  He also knew that he couldn't stay to hear her tell him that she didn't feel the same.  He tried to shrug out of her grasp, but she surprised him and held firm.

"Do...do you mean that?"  She couldn't contain the urgency in her voice.  She had to know if this was how he truly felt for her.  

"Yes," was all he said.

An unintelligible squeal of delight burst from Relena's throat, and before Heero realized what was happening, he felt her throw herself into his arms.  "Really?  You...you love me?"  She had to make sure, but she knew in her heart that he had meant it.  Heero Yuy never lied to her.

Heero looked down in shock at the young woman in his arms.  "Relena...?

"I love you, too," she whispered happily.  "I love you too."

His heart felt like it would burst.  She loves me!  He wasn't too late.  There was a chance.  And now, he knew that there was not only a chance, but that they would definitely be together.  He could leave tomorrow without the weight of the world on his shoulders, and he knew that he would be coming back.  No terrorist insurrection was ever going to keep him away from the woman that he loved, and now, the woman who loved him.

Heero tightened his arms as much as he could, at once afraid of squeezing too tight, and afraid that she would never be near enough to him.  "I love you," he told her again, now able to say it as often as he desired.  Now, there was only one more thing left to make this night complete.

Bending down, Heero tilted Relena's face towards his, and pressed his lips against hers.  To his satisfaction and delight, she melted eagerly into the kiss, returning it fully.  He kept her there for as long as he was able to, not wanting to let the new sensation end.  This was why he had been able to hold on for as long as he did.  The end result, Heero mused, had always been worth the wait.

Reluctantly pulling back, Heero rested his forehead against Relena's.  He kept his grip around her waist, needing to feel her close to him for as long as possible.  He opened his eyes to see Relena's smiling face.  Heero couldn't contain the grin that spread over his features at this sight.  She had always been too beautiful for her own good.

Relena ran her fingers through his chocolate locks.  She finally had the thing that she had always wanted.  The only desire that had always evaded her.  She now knew that she had Heero's love.  She wasn't worried about his upcoming mission anymore; she knew that he would come back to her.  And she would be waiting.

Tilting her head slightly, Heero brought Relena in for another kiss.  He pushed all of his emotions and love for her into the exchange, and he felt her do the same.  He greedily accepted her love.  He pulled her in deeper, making the kiss more passionate.  It silently promised both of them more to come.

Finally, Heero felt complete.