Cracks In The Mirror

By: Tracie Somebody

Chapter Four: The Attacker Returns

Relena looked at the squat little house nestled neatly between two stately houses that towered over it. It's lawn was in a tidy state, though not a bush or flower was anywhere near the house. Of course that wouldn't really be Heero's style. It was a pale white, faded and sun beaten, but it looked rather new maybe only 20-30 years old. The garage was one car and it was squeezed tightly to the house's side. It was in a simple suburb around an hour away from her own neighborhood. She got out of the car still staring transfixed at Heero's house and waited patiently as Trowa unlocked it and showed her inside.

The inside was much different from the well kept out side and a small smile played at Relena's lips at the untidiness of it all. Pizza boxes were strewn in different areas of the compact living room, along with beer cans, and a few chip bags. Suggesting all the late night activities of a bachelor. She roamed through the kitchen which was in need of some help, a few over flowing garbage bags and some dirty dishes. She next moved onto to the short hallway which had three rooms leading off of it. The first revealed itself to be a room filled with a few boxes and a single sized bed. The next on the right side was locked securely, and Relena had a suspicion that it was Heero's room. Darn it, she had kind of wondered what that would look like. The last door on the left was a medium bathroom which was practically clean, except for a few dirty evergreen towels. She jumped half a mile at the light, unexpected tap on her shoulder.

"Trowa! Don't do that!" She told him annoyed that she had been scared. Trowa looked her with an unreadable gaze that matched Heero's.

"Heero should be here soon, I don't think he would like to find you snooping around his house," Trowa told her. She turned a deep shade of red and brushed past Trowa and headed into the living room. There she shoved off a clutter of garbage and took a seat. Leaning back she closed her eyes, not intending to fall asleep, but she must have because when she opened them again Heero was already there. He had cleaned up the mess of garbage from the living room (and the kitchen as well she supposed). He was staring intently at her, and it was making her uncomfortable.

"What time is it?" she asked looking at the darkness outside the window.

"1:00am," Heero informed her. 1:00am?!? It was tomorrow already, had she really been that tired? Well, yes, come to think of it she probably was

Heero was no longer looking at her, instead his gaze was fixed somewhere above her right shoulder. It was a thoughtful one, telling her he probably wasn't really paying any attention to her. And then, to her embarrassment, her stomach let out a loud rumble that directed Heero's piecing gaze back to her.

"Are you hungry?" Heero asked. Relena nodded her head, she hadn't had anything to eat since a piece of toast that had passed as her dinner the night she'd been attacked. He got up and motioned for her to follow him, which she did. They walked into his small kitchen (which, like she had suspected, was now very clean) and he opened his refrigerator. Relena let out a slight laugh at the look of surprise on his face when all that proved to be in the fridge was a container of half eaten peanut butter with the knife still stuck in it, a jar of pickle relish, and a empty jug of milk. He closed the fridge and then went to his cabinets. They were all bare.

"I wasn't expecting company," Heero muttered under his breath. Relena nodded at him seriously, she understood the embarrassment he might (or might not, with Heero who can tell?) be feeling over the state of his house. "I'll go to the grocery store," Heero told her.

"Now?" She asked. He nodded, now was as good as time as any. Relena ran her fingers through her hair. Suddenly her jacket was tossed at her, completely unprepared for it Relena didn't even try and catch it. Instead the jacket hit her in the face (ouch) and fell with a thud to the floor. "Am I coming?" She asked confused.

"I can't leave you here alone, you can't protect yourself," Heero stated simply pulling his jacket on. Relena clenched her fists.

"I can too protect myself," She said through clenched teeth. "And I'm sick and tired of people acting like I can't." Heero looked at her completely unfazed.

"You're still coming," Heero told her. Grrr. Relena felt like throwing something, so when she picked up her jacket she was only half surprised as it flew from her hands at Heero. Heero swiped it up in his fist before it landed and tossed it back to her; she let it drop at her feet. "Nice try, but you're still coming," Heero said once again. Relena crossed her arms.

"No I'm not," She said just as evenly as Heero.

"You're coming one way or another," Heero told her. "Even if I have to drag you there."

"You wouldn't," Relena told him. Heero smiled.

"Heero put me down!" Relena yelled as she was lifted onto his shoulders and carried out the door. Heero however didn't put her down until they reached the car, and then he buckled her in and pulled out of the driveway. Relena crossed her arms, why couldn't she ever win?

AN: Short chapterwhat can I say? I'm getting lazy. Stay tuned for the next chapter people. My email is traciesmail@earthlink.net