Bittersweet Part 7
Relena led me over to a small table just far enough away from the window to make it a difficult shot for a sniper. I sat down opposite her and waited.
She smiled faintly. "Did someone tell you about the kidnapping that happened while we were off on our jaunt?"
I nodded. "Heero did."
"I wish he and Une had mentioned it sooner," she sighed. "Did he tell you about our conversation after you went back to your room that day?"
"No."
She reached up and tugged on a strand of hair. "You have to understand," she said with a frown, "I've had a year to try and piece things together. I know why you left. Heero told us exactly what he said to you that night." She frowned towards the door. "I thought it was just because he was angry that we'd snuck out and then the worry that you'd been killed on top of it all."
"I can't blame him for that," I said. "If I had known about the kidnapping part, I would've volunteered to be suspended. But we had no idea..."
"But it didn't seem to be enough." Relena interrupted. "Heero never acts like that... not ever. And the next day when he'd discovered you were gone..." She bit her lip. "Well, let's just say it was bad."
I wondered how bad, but I decided to stick to the other topic. "You mentioned something about a conversation?"
"Yes," she blew a strand of hair off her face. "Heero was with me. I asked what Une had done and he told me about the suspension. I said that was rather harsh, since I had made you go with me. He said that it had been your decision to go with me."
"That's true."
"Then he said- 'the two of you can charm anyone into doing anything, you'd think with all that charm one of the two of you would've gotten some brains to go with it.'"
I smiled. That sounded more like the response I had expected from Heero- when I said that to Relena, she smiled.
"Oh I know. His usual 'idiots' kind of answer. But I was still stung, and I said that it amazed me that someone as charming as you had ended up with someone like him who wouldn't know a good time if it bit him on the ass. Then I added something about how happy you must be to have a friend like me who could actually understand you..." Her smile vanished. "I wasn't serious- not really- just..."
"Sniping back."
"Yes. But... Heero didn't reply. I didn't think anything of it at the time, just noted that maybe it had been a little harsh, since he couldn't think of a comeback..."
"Relena, I don't see where it's anything to apologize for-"
"But I do." Relena lifted her hand. "Just wait. There's a bit more." She sighed. "About a month after you left, I went over to Heero's apartment to... check up on him. He was supposed to have met me for dinner, and I got nervous when he was late."
"I can see why, Heero's always on time."
"That wasn't the only reason, but yes. When I got there, I had to break in since no one answered the door..." She smiled. "Those lock picking lessons you gave me were very handy."
"I told you they would be."
"They saved Heero's life."
"What?"
"He'd... had an accident. I found him, phoned for the ambulance, went to the hospital with him."
"What happened?"
She looked away, not meeting my eyes. "Just a kitchen accident. But as I was sitting on the floor, trying to put pressure on the wound, he woke up just enough to talk to me."
Kitchen accident? Wound? What kind of accident was it? I wanted to press Relena for more details, but she kept talking.
"He said- 'Why didn't Duo just go to you? You understand him. You were good for him.'"
It didn't make any more sense to me the second time I heard it. "He didn't think you and I..."
She shrugged. "I don't know what he was thinking. I told him that there wasn't anything between us, and he said he knew, but... well, it wasn't the best of times to have a discussion. He refused to talk to me about it afterwards. He refuses to talk to anyone about anything these days..."
"Heero was never the most chatty of guys..."
"But he did talk." Relena leaned forward. "Duo, when I say doesn't talk, I mean unless he absolutely has to, he doesn't speak. Not to anyone."
Okay, that wasn't good.
"He's been punishing himself for driving you away." Relena reached out a hand to me and I took it. "And being Heero, he's taken it to the most extreme levels possible."
I remembered Trowa's story about Heero going to each and every family member of the men on the shuttle and offering them his life...
I squeezed her hand. "He always was fanatical about things."
Relena met my eyes pleadingly.
"Duo, I realize what he said to you was possibly the worst thing he could've done. I don't expect you to want him back. But could you give him some kind of absolution? I miss the old Heero."
Before I could even think of an answer, the door opened again.
Heero glanced at us briefly and I dropped Relena's hand. "Meeting," he said, and closed the door.
Relena sighed. "I have to go." She got to her feet. "We're due to leave tomorrow. I hope I can see you again?"
"That would be nice." We both walked to the door. When I opened it, Heero and someone in a suit were waiting. The suit bustled Relena down the hallway. She spared me one last glance over her shoulder and I smiled for her.
Heero stood beside me and I wondered what to do next. I needed to talk to him...
He touched my elbow and started off down the hallway. We reached another door, which he opened and waved me inside.
Maybe he wanted to talk too?
That idea crashed the moment he gestured me towards a seat in front of a vidphone and opened the connection. Commander Une's face appeared on the screen.
"Maxwell," she said, glaring at me over the link. "Where the hell have you been?"
I heard a door close behind me. A quick glance over my shoulder confirmed that Heero had left me to talk to the commander alone.
"I've been here commander," I answered. "Working for one of the Sweeper's wives."
"Baking." Une nodded. "I heard. Not the best employment of your skills."
"I don't know," I shrugged. "You'd be surprised how fierce some of the customers can be if they have to wait for their sugar fix."
She smiled a little. "I wanted to apologize to you, Maxwell. I understood that you were not as fully briefed as I expected. You were not informed of all the particulars behind your suspension and that is inexcusable..."
I nodded. "Well, you guys had other things on your mind."
"Still, it is not how this operation should be run. You were one of our best agents. Should you wish to return, this incident will not be on your record."
"Are you asking me back commander?"
She glared. "You know damn well I am. If it would help persuade you, I can assure you that you would not be partnered with Yuy. We could put you with one of the others."
"Who would be partnered with Yuy?"
Her glare eased a bit. "Yuy prefers to work without a partner these days."
"That's not smart."
"It's better than having to deal with crying rookies or swearing agents- trust me. Will you consider my offer?"
"I'll think about it."
"Thank you." Her 'commander' mask dropped for a second and she gave me a warm smile. "I'm glad to see you Duo. I was worried about you." The smile vanished. "Une out."
The connection ended. I frowned at the blank screen.
I didn't like the picture I was getting of Heero. Part of me was arguing that the bastard deserved whatever pain he had gotten- hadn't he ripped my soul into shreds?
But... he'd done the same to himself.
I got up from the chair and headed for the door. Heero was waiting for me outside. He gave me a brief glance from under his bangs and then led me back to the elevator. Apparently my time here was up.
He pressed the button. "Quatre sends his apologies but said to tell you that he wants to see you at breakfast. The meetings tonight are going to run late."
The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. I stepped inside, expecting Heero to follow me, but he didn't. "The car is waiting for you."
"Are you coming with me?"
He shook his head.
"Are you on duty?" I asked and he shook his head again. The doors started to slide closed.
I reached out and grabbed him by his uniform tie and yanked him into the elevator with me.
"Duo?" His eyes were wide with surprise.
"I'm not finished talking to you yet."
TBC...
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