Heero walked quietly down the busy hallways of Preventer Headquarters. He moved quickly into his office hoping that no one had seen him. It had been a week since that day. Exactly one week to the day that he slapped Relena and left. He walked over to his desk and sat down. Immediately a white business envelope caught his attention. It was placed near his computer monitor so he wouldn't miss it. He picked it up and opened it and pulled out the neatly folder papers that were inside. He felt his heart come to a stop as he read the bold type of the words. He was so caught up with the letter that he hadn't even taken notice that Quatre and Trowa had walked into his office. 

"Heero." Quatre smacked his hands down on the desk.

Heero looked up from the letter and locked eyes with Quatre. His eyes narrowed in annoyance. He should have closed his door.

Quatre smiled. "Where have you been the past week? Everyone has been looking for you. Relena has been worried."

Heero's eyes widened for a second when her name was mentioned then he looked at the letter in his hand. A brief moment of anger passed and he shrugged his shoulders and laid the letter down on the desk. 

"It's not like you to disappear when you had a mission to go on." Trowa spoke up from the doorway.

Heero glanced at him for a second then turned his computer on. "I don't do missions anymore."

Quatre looked at Heero with total shock written all over his face. He looked back at Trowa who had his eyebrows raised slightly at Heero's statement.

Trowa felt an arm rest on his shoulder. He looked over to see the slightly annoyed face of Duo Maxwell next to him.

"Heero, I swear if you ever leave me to do a mission with Wufei again I'll get back at you somehow." Duo looked at Quatre who looked shocked then glanced over at Trowa when he spoke up.

"Heero no longer does missions."

"WHAT?" Duo looked at Heero who continued typing. He walked over to desk and sat down in the chair that was next to where Quatre was standing. "What ever made the Perfect Soldier decided to give up missions?"

Heero looked over at Duo and handed him the letter that he laid on the desk. 

Duo took one look at it and about choked. "This can't be serious. What? Why?"

Quatre glanced down at the letter and froze. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "What happened? Why would she file for divorce?"

This peaked Trowa's curiosity and he crossed the room to look at the letter.

Heero looked back at the computer and started to work again. "She overheard our conversation."

"Oh God Heero, I'm sorry." Duo felt extremely bad. He never should have started it, especially since it was their anniversary that day.

Quatre and Trowa remained quiet knowing that Duo would more than likely tell them just what that conversation was about later. Trowa handed Heero the letter.

"What are you going to do?" Duo watched as Heero took the letter from Trowa and pulled out one of the desk drawers to take out a pen.

"I told you that everything that I do is for her happiness and... protection. If she wants this then I'll give it to her." Heero was about to sign the papers when Duo snatched it away from him.

"Your reasons for marring her in the first place was absolutely stupid, but you love her now right?" Duo held the papers out of Heero's reach. "If so then why are you going to sign this? Shouldnít you talk to her and tell her everything from your mouth instead of her hearing it from someone else?"

"It's more complicated than that, I did something that I can't forgive myself for. This is the only thing that I can do for her."

Duo sighed and handed the papers back. "This is my fault, if I hadn't..."

"It's not your fault." Heero finished signing the papers and looked at the shocked look on Duo's face. "She needed to know the truth, I can't be angry with you for her finding out. She deserved the truth and deserves better than me." Heero stuffed the papers back into the envelope and pulled off his wedding band and stared at it.

"Why don't we let Heero have some time to himself." Quatre suggested and placed a hand on Duo's shoulder. Trowa walked out of the room followed by Quatre.

"I'm so sorry Heero." Duo stood up and watched Heero throw his ring in the envelope.

"Duo do me a favor, make sure that Relena gets this." He handed to envelope to Duo.

Duo took the envelope. "Are you sure about this?"

Heero nodded and turned back toward the computer. Duo watched him for a few seconds more then left the office, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door closed Heero closed is eyes. He was in total disbelief. He had hoped to talk to her, to tell her how he felt then and how he felt now. But if the divorce would make her happy then he would give it to her without a fight. He had very little experience on how she probably felt but it had to be a hundred times worse than how his heart was aching. He would do what she wished even if his heart was telling him that he was doing the wrong thing.

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Relena stared at herself in the bathroom mirror in her office. The bruise on her face was fading into a yellow. She sighed as she put on more makeup to cover it up. She tried her best to keep events from that day out of her mind, but it was impossible. Every time she passed his study, stepped into their bedroom, or looked at the bruise on her cheek it all came flooding back.

She was beyond angry with Heero. He had hurt her in the worst possible way. The fact that he didn't love her when they married and whenever they were intimate together it wasn't an act of love was even more painful then when he slapped her. 

He played a very good game with her heart. He had her truly believing that he was in love with her. He was very manipulative with they way that he handled himself around her. Well-placed words whenever she needed to hear them only got him what he wanted.

But that night before their anniversary seemed different. They way that he held her, the way that they made love just made her question everything. Why would he have been that gentle, that caring? 

'Because he wanted to keep you happy!' her mind screamed at her.

There was a knock on the bathroom door. Relena dried her eyes of the tears that she shed and opened the door to see Duo and Quatre on the other side. She tried to offer them a smile but she could tell by the look on their faces that something was wrong.

"Wha...what are you doing here? Did you find Heero? Is he ok?" She couldn't believe that she was asking about him, but even though he hurt her she still cared for him."

"Yah, actually he showed up at work today." Quatre looked her over and his eyes rested on her cheek. She tried to cover it up but he could see the bruise there. His eyes widened when he remembered Heero saying that he did something unforgivable.

"That's good to hear." Relena walked over to her desk and stood in front of her chair. "What can I do for the two of you."

"I um.... here." Duo held out the dreadful envelope. 

Relena's eyes rested on the envelope. She knew what it was and she was surprised to see it so soon. She took it from Duo and laid it down on the desk, not being quite ready to look at it yet. "Thank you Duo, Quatre. I guess that the two of you know by now." They both nodded.

"I'm sorry Relena, I had no idea." Quatre spoke up.

Relena gave a sad smile. "The funny thing is neither did I." Her eyes locked with Duo's and he quickly looked away.

"Relena, I." Duo looked at her. "I feel responsible."

"Don't be, you're not the one that lied to me. If you don't mind I would like to be alone."

"Of course Relena, if you need to talk...."

"Thank you Quatre, I'll think about it." Relena sighed as they left the room.

Quatre grabbed Duo by the arm as soon as they got a good distance away from her office. "Did you see her face Duo?"

"Yah. And I bet you are thinking the same thing I am. Heero has some explaining to do."

Relena sat down and looked at the envelope. She picked it up and pulled the papers out. The sound of something metal hitting her desk rang throughout the room. She looked down and saw a ring roll a short distance until it hit her coffee cup coming to a stop. Her eyes started to water when she picked up the ring. This was is it. Their marriage was over. 'Don't cry Relena. This is what you wanted. Heero doesn't love you the way that you love him.'  But as soon as she seen his signature on the papers she broke down sobbing. It truly was over, there was no turning back now.