Bittersweet Part 3
I had only that split second to move before he did.
Quickly I pulled my hand free from Relena's, slipped off the platform and back into the crowd before any of them could react.
Sometimes it pays to have the slight advantage in those surprise situations...
I thought I heard a "Duo!" behind me but I was halfway out the tent door by then, and I didn't dare to turn around. It sounded like Heero, but it could've been Trowa...
Outside the crowd was thick and I knew they'd have a hell of a time finding me. I just had to slip out through the trees- not on one of the walkways- and I'd be home free.
First though, I took off the hat and glasses- the identifying marks they'd use to describe me over the Preventers' headsets and stuck them in my pocket. The green jacket I wore had a collar that was sufficient to hide my braid once I pulled it up a bit. It wouldn't fool one of the guys for long, but they too would be looking for the hat first.
It also sometimes pays to know how the opposition thinks...
Once that little bit of work was done, I moved slowly towards the trees, keeping my eyes on the crowd around me. My luck held. No Preventers in sight and no one that gave me more than a passing glance. The crowd was shoulder to shoulder, a definite advantage for me. It not only helped hide me, but it slowed any pursuit.
I was nearly to the edge of the trees when the PA system attached to the outside of the tent suddenly flared into life.
Relena's voice rang out over the crowd. "Good evening everyone! I'm so glad you all could come! I hope the treats are holding out and that everyone is having a wonderful time." Polite applause broke out for a moment before she continued. "I was especially glad to see an old friend of mine from the war- I would love to chat with you longer- if you'd just locate one of my guards and let them know where you are?"
No way in hell sweetheart.
Her announcement played in my favor. Everyone looked towards the tent and the speakers, so I was able to slip out of the crowd and into the trees as she continued on about welcoming everyone and hoping that they had saved a cookie or two for her...
Once I reached the fringes of the park I headed towards the alleys- staying off the streets was the smarter move. I backtracked and took odd turnings, checking frequently for a shadow or two, but none appeared.
Reassured that no one was on my trail, I headed for home.
Once there I locked the door of the apartment behind me and threw myself on the bed. Safe at last- at least for the moment. What had I been thinking? Now they knew I was here!
Not that it mattered. Even if they did know where I was- why would it change anything?
I had proven that I was an unfit Preventer- that I was not to be trusted. They wouldn't look for me- I had no value to any of them anymore.
Except maybe Relena. I knew why she wanted to talk to me- poor girl probably felt guilty. It hadn't been her fault. I knew exactly what we had been getting into, and I was damned lucky that nothing bad had happened.
I closed my eyes for a moment, replaying Heero's words in my head:
"You never think things through, Duo! And I would've thought you learned by now! Wasn't the destruction of the church lesson enough? Remember what happened that night because you rushed off without thinking? "
It still hurt to remember.
Relena had just wanted an afternoon out during one of her trips without it turning into a three-ring circus. The Preventers had refused her request; since the place had some political problems and they were worried that Relena might be a target.
I had succumbed to her pleading and taken her out. Her disguise had been perfect. No one had given her a second look.
When we got back however, she had gotten a scolding from Commander Une, and I was suspended from my duties. Une was going to send me home, but since Relena had only two days left, she had left me with the team- but I had no responsibilities. I wasn't to be trusted with anything.
Heero had been very upset with me.
That night, once he was released from duty, he'd burst into our hotel room and told me exactly what he thought of me.
Selfish, untrustworthy, flighty, irresponsible, dangerous... and that had just been to start off with. He went back over our years together and pointed out every incident where I had failed him, how I had been the one to mess things up in situation after situation, how I never gave him any consideration at all...
Heero had never done that to me before. Never. If I had done something he hadn't approved of, he would just tell me I was an idiot and move on. That night though he had ripped me into shreds- and every word he said was nothing less than the truth... I had never known he had felt that way.
Which was even worse. I hadn't known what I was doing... not that it was any excuse- I should've known...
At the end, when he reminded me that it had been that tendency to act first and think later that had brought about the destruction of the Maxwell Church, I hadn't been able to say anything in my defense at all. There wasn't anything to say. He was right. I wasn't fit to be a Preventer, and I wasn't fit to be his lover...
He had slammed out of the room, and I had been unable to move at first. Unable to think at first. It's hard when your world comes crashing down like that. I thought I'd had a place I belonged at last. I'd been wrong.
So I had run to Howard. I had been responsible enough to submit my resignation to Une first and leave Heero a note so that he wouldn't think I had done something stupid again. My bag was packed and I was on a shuttle thirty minutes later.
But no matter what he had said, no matter how much it hurt, I still loved him.
Enough to pull off a stupid stunt like this one just for the chance of seeing him in person.
It had been worth it.
I hauled myself up, pulling clothes off and setting the alarm. I had to work in a few hours after all.
As I fell into bed I wondered if it had been Heero that called my name. I tried to remember if the voice had been upset or angry... I couldn't tell and eventually I just gave up and fell asleep. What did it matter anyway?
~*~
I was working hard when Nell showed up the next morning. Our routine went the same as always. I didn't tell her what I had been up to the night before, I just let her talk. Sam was going to be home for the weekend and she was happy about it. Like always she had big plans for his visit.
It was easy to just let her talk as we worked, let her voice wash over me and remind me that this was my place. I wasn't a Preventer anymore. I wasn't Heero's lover. I was simply a man who worked at a bakery on L4.
It could've been worse.
Nell turned on the radio after a bit, wanting something to sing along with, she always felt like singing when Sam was on his way home. Instead of music however, the station was doing an interview.
"I'm really enjoying my trip here, just like always," said Relena's voice and I blinked in surprise. Nell left the station on, humming as she iced a cake. So I listened to Relena talk about some new policies and her hopes for the trade agreements with Earth as I worked on my trays. Then she said something that made me glad Nell had gone off to open the doors for business and couldn't see my face.
"That meet and greet party was well done," the deejay said.
"Oh yes! I love those types of events!" Relena laughed. "Especially last night's! One of my old friends appeared in the crowd! I was so glad to see him!"
"I wondered about that," laughed the deejay. "I heard the announcement! Did he come back to see you?"
Relena sighed. "No, he must not have heard the announcement. I really did want to talk to him though, so I'm hoping we can hunt him down."
Surely it was only my imagination that made those last words seem ominous?
"An old flame?" Teased the deejay.
"Nothing like that!" Relena giggled for a moment. "Seriously though, I did manage to land him into some trouble the last time I saw him, and I do want to apologize for it..." I could hear the guilt in her voice and I felt bad. It really hadn't been all her fault.
I had no intention of going to see her though. Last night I had been close enough to the fire to burn- I wasn't going to risk that again. I swore to every god I could think of that I was going to keep my head down no matter what. It's not like it would be that hard to avoid her- when would a baker's path ever cross with that of a Princess? Or one of her knights for that matter?
I reached over and snapped the radio off. The morning rush was starting.
The bakery was very busy, and it was later than usual when I finally left for home. Downtown was bustling with people. I found myself pushing through a small horde of people on the sidewalks- what was going on?
A few steps later and I saw the reason for the crowd- Relena was in front of one of the buildings talking to a group of school children- a photo op. I'd have to go past her and the Preventers around her to get home.
The gods must be laughing at me.
TBC...
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