Honorable Mention Winner

Missing by a Mile (Excerpt - Chapter 14)
A Gundam Wing Fanfiction
by Black Rose


     Heero glared at the man standing in the hallway, and his
hand instinctively sought out the handle of his gun.  Duo noticed
the look and the movement, and quickly intervened.  "Hey, Heero
buddy, have you met Dr. Styers?"

     "No," Heero bit out through his tightly clenched teeth,
never taking his eyes off the enemy.

     "Well, Heero, this is Trevor.  Trevor, this is Heero Yuy -
Relena's personal bodyguard," Duo added the last part to see what
kind of a reaction he'd get out of his old friend.

     "It's a pleasure," Trevor said and held out his hand in
greeting.

     In the meantime, Heero was debating whether or not he could
stop glowering at the enemy long enough to give his friend a
withering glance. Bodyguard, he thought while his lip curled up
in a snarl.  He suddenly didn't like his 'demotion' and yet
experience told him he was never to take his eyes off his
adversary.  Torn between which deserved his contempt more, he
became aware that Trevor was still holding his hand out expecting
him to shake it.  Heero looked at the hand, and then back up at
the young doctor.  He turned his glare briefly on Duo and then
spun on his heel and walked away.

     Duo watched his friend leave with widened eyes.  "I'm sorry,
he's usually....Ah, well, he's usually just like this, actually."

     Trevor chuckled.  "Hmmm.  Gee, if he's this charming all the
time, it's a wonder Relena likes him at all."

     "Yeah, she sees something in him, I guess.  But sometimes I
wonder."

     Trevor didn't have a response; he figured Duo was just
musing aloud.

     "I think this is his way of rationalizing his feelings.  He
won't ever deserve her in his mind, but if he's marrying her to
protect her, well, that's okay.  But I can't say that or else
I'll end up a dead man."

     "I thought the point of this little exercise was to show him
without saying it and going to an early grave."

     "That is the general plan.  Any ideas?"

     Trevor grinned.  "Yeah.  But mission two of Operation to
Catch a Soldier will need Relena's full cooperation."

*         *         *         *         *         *

     "Trevor, you weren't expected today," Relena said in a
polite tone as she entered the kitchen.  Or ever again.

     Upon hearing her voice and whom she was addressing, Heero
moved into the kitchen to listen - just in case the enemy did not
get the hint from earlier today, and had to be eliminated. 
Relena saw Heero enter and tried to ignore his presence - uneasy
and unsure of how to deal with the man that kissed her but didn't
love her.

     Trevor noted Heero's entrance and took a step towards
Relena.  "Relena," he said, looking serious, "We need to talk
about us."

     Relena's eyes widened.  Duo choked on his breakfast, but was
trying to recover before Heero had a chance to kill his friend.  

     "Us?"

     Trevor took advantage of her surprise and pushed her out of
the room.

     Duo leapt from his chair and tried to restrain Heero from
going after them.

     Out in the hallway, Relena recovered from her shock and
turned around to glare up at him.  "Us?  There is no 'us' Trevor,
I thought I made myself clear."

     "Shhh!  Not so loud." He put his hand to her lips.  "Is
there somewhere we can talk?"

     Relena pushed his hand away.  "What is this all about?" 

     Suddenly there was a loud crash from the kitchen.  She moved
instinctively toward the door, but Trevor stopped her.

     "It's about Heero.  Come on, I'll explain in your office."

     "It'll have to be in my brother's office." 

*         *         *         *         *         *

     "Now tell me what's going on".

     "Well, first, I wanted to apologize again for kissing you
without permission.  It was inexcusable, but for a good cause."
He suddenly felt self-conscious, realizing that he didn't know
her all that well, or how she would receive this invasion into
her personal life.

     "A good cause?"  Relena moved to sit in her brother's chair. 
She shot him a skeptical, but icy glare.  

     The well-practiced, no-nonsense look unnerved him as he felt
the perspiration form on his forehead and a lump catch in his
throat.  "Uh, well, you see..." It was hard to concentrate with
her staring at him.  Flustered, he blurted out, "The kiss was
really for Heero."

     Relena's eyes widened her jaw dropped.  "Excuse me?" 
Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that.

     "Wait, that's not what I meant!" Trevor protested and felt
his palms go clammy with sweat.  She continued to glare at him in
annoyance.  

     "Then what did you mean?"

     "I meant, ah, I meant that uh, um... I didn't really want to
kiss you." Oh smooth.  Tell the woman you didn't want to kiss
her.  Maybe you can join Heero in the dating idiots club.

     "What do you mean you didn't want to kiss me?"  She
exclaimed and then took a deep breath to calm the momentary bout
of outrage.  She fought to continue her interrogation in an even
tone.

     "Ok, so whom did you want to kiss?"

     "Well, uh, Duo said..."

     "So, you wanted to kiss Duo?"

     Trevor shook his head vigorously.  "No!  You see, uh, well,
I just wanted to get Heero excited."  

     Relena blanched.  "On second thought, I don't think I want
to know this..."

     Realization washed over him in a hot wave that brought
scarlet up to his cheeks.  "I didn't mean it like that!"  

     "Well, please, do tell me what it is you meant." Relena said
trying to keep the sarcasm and utter irritation she felt for this
man and his, 'explanation' out of her voice.  

     "I ah, um, how do I say this?"  Trevor racked his
not-functioning brain for the right words this time.

     "You're gay?"  Relena cut him off, annoyed beyond belief at
how long this was taking.

     "NO!  It doesn't mean that I'm gay just because I didn't
want to kiss you ..."  

     "And thank you for bringing that point up again," she said
dryly.

      "No, I know.  It's just that well, I, I mean we...I just
wanted Heero to be jealous of you," he smacked his forehead. 
"This isn't coming out right...." Stupid stupid stupid!

     Summoning the last of her patience, Relena decided to walk
him through his statement step by step - a technique she had
picked up in negotiation training.  "Who is we?" She asked and
plastered a fake tolerant smile on her lips, but inside she
continued to seethe.

     "Me, Duo and Hilde."

     "Okay, so you three wanted you to kiss me why?"  

     "To um...well," he began and jammed his hands into his
pockets, his earlier bungling still fresh in his mind.

     That was it.  She stood up from the desk, all semblance of
patience and poise flew out the window.  "JUST SPIT IT OUT
ALREADY!"

     Trevor's eyes widened at the outburst and he quickly uttered
the explanation while searching the room for a place to hide. 

     "Duo caught it on camera to show to your very dedicated,
very scary bodyguard in order to make him jealous - of me kissing
you," he closed his eyes and visibly cringed.

     Relena gave him a look that said he had clearly lost his
mind.  She leaned forward on the desk.  "So tell me doctor, have
you always had these masochistic tendencies, or do you just have
a death wish?"  

     He opened his eyes at her more subdued tone. She no longer
looked like she wanted to kill him. "You know how he feels about
you, then?" 

     "I know he's protective of me.  I'm his mission - a security
blanket for world peace that he clings to blindly whether or not
I'm truly needed.  He'll leave when I've served my purpose, I'm
sure." 

     His color returning to normal, Trevor easily picked up on
the subtle nuances of her speech, and didn't miss the underlying
tone to her sentence.  He felt slightly angry with the Preventer
whom had stolen Relena's heart but was too cowardly to
reciprocate her feelings.  Never-the-less, he had seen enough
this morning to be convinced that somewhere beneath that gruff
exterior, that man really did love her.  He just needed a wake up
call to smack him right upside the head. 

     "Actually, we think it's something more personal than that. 
Which is why we've been working to push his buttons."

     "Hn.  Interesting, but not only are you wasting your time,
you really should be careful which 'buttons' you guys press - try
to avoid the one marked 'self destruct'."  

     "You don't believe me, or you don't think it will work?" 
The joke was lost on him.

     "Oh, I believe you.  I just don't think it will work in a
million years.  There are no 'deeper personal feelings' for him
to admit."

     "What if I told you I could prove you wrong?  Would you want
us to?"

     "I don't know..." Relena looked skeptical.  She had promised
herself she wouldn't let him hurt her again, this sounded like an
opening to lead her right back to more heartache.

     "Do you still love him?"

     "Yes, that won't ever change, regardless of his feelings, or
lack thereof, for me."

     "Then help us prove you wrong."  

     Relena sighed.  "I'm sorry, Trevor, I promised the world I
would do my best to protect it from any more bloodshed.  I can't
in all good conscience..." She was cut off by the sound of his
laughter.  

     "Oh, come on, it can't be that bad.  It's been terribly fun
already. Tell you what, if we can't get your bodyguard to admit
that he's head-over-heels in love with you, I'll personally write
you a prescription for a medically necessary sabbatical."

     He obviously doesn't know how stubborn that man can be.  But
what if he's right?  No.  I can't allow myself to hope.  
     "I don't think so," she said, biting her bottom lip
thoughtfully.

     "Relena, are you really going to give up that easily on
something you want?  I know we don't know each other very well,
but you don't strike me as the type of person to just quit
because something hurts.  Tell you what, play along with this one
little thing, and see for yourself whether or not there's still
hope.  Come on, what have you got to lose?"

     Relena sighed.  "Besides my sanity, and my heart - again - I
don't know, you tell me."

     "So is that a yes?"

     He'll never love you...That doubting voice hissed in her
ear.  And then suddenly it was silenced by memories.

     "Believe in me..."

     "I will always protect you..."

     Sweet moments she could never forget, followed by the
recollection of the kiss they shared that morning surfaced in her
mind.  She took a deep breath and prayed that this was the right
decision. 

     "All right.  What did you have in mind?"

*         *         *         *         *         *

Meanwhile, in the kitchen...



     "What did he mean, Duo?" Heero asked, shooting his friend a
cold glare that clearly spoke his hostility.

     "Well, typically, when a couple talks about 'us' they are
going to talk about their relationship and where it's going," Duo
said clicking the other cuff of a set of handcuffs onto the oven
door handle.  "There, that should hold you."

     "I wouldn't bet on it." Heero looked down at where his right
wrist was now secured to the stainless steel rod jutting out from
the conventional oven.  

     "Well, I wouldn't either.  But then again, I wouldn't have
bet on finding you kissing Relena this morning," Duo said with an
impish grin.

     Heero scowled in reply.

     "So, tell me Mister I-don't-love-Relena, what did ya think
of your first kiss?" Duo said and took a step back - wary of
Heero's ability to use his left hand.

     "It wasn't my first kiss, you jerk."

     Duo's eyes widened.  "What?"

     "Let me out of these things Duo, or I'm going to kill you
when I do get free," he warned looking to see how the handle was
secured to the oven door.  Damn, stainless steel screws.
     "Not until you tell me...you mean you've done the horizontal
polka with a female before?"

     Heero was busy mentally going over the list of tools he had
at his disposal to free himself from his restraints.  Wallet, no
good.  I don't have my keys.  Duo lost my pocketknife.  Gun. 
Damn it, how did I forget my gun? He cursed and reached with his
left hand for his weapon.  It came up empty.

     "Looking for this?" Duo smirked and held up Heero's pistol.

     "How?" 

     "Sticky fingers, remember?  Now tell me..."

     "It was a couple of years ago."

     "Well well well.  Truly amazing.  I guess I lose that bet,
too.  So, Relena's after an experienced man." Duo said with a
laugh.  

     "Maxwell, this is no joke, give me the key," Heero snarled.

     Duo knew when his friend used his last name, he was in
trouble for sure.  But seeing that he had already crossed the
line, he figured the consequences couldn't get any worse for
pushing his luck.  "So you don't feel like you will be missing
out on anything by marrying Relena?"

     "No." 

     "Woah-ho!  Are you saying that she's 'the one'?" 

     "Let me out, Maxwell.  Now!"

     "You know, Heero, if you're thinking you'll marry her and
then just do whatever or whoever you want..."

     Heero cursed under his breath.  "I wouldn't do that to her. 
Damn it, Duo!  What do you want from me?"

     "Admit you love her."

     "I don't.  I can't, Duo.  I can't love her.  But I can say
that no other woman has held my interest for any length of time. 
I can commit to her knowing that there won't be anyone else. Now
unlock these cuffs!" 

     Duo frowned.  His friend was still running away on an
emotional level, but the conversation was getting too serious. 
He decided to change topics, sort of.  "So, are you going to kiss
her again, Cassanova?"

     "Doesn't that come with the territory?  I'm sure she'd
suspect something was wrong if I married her and never kissed
her," Heero replied dryly.  

     "That's not what I meant.  I'll let you out right now if you
tell me that you liked kissing Relena."

     Heero gave his friend a skeptical glance.  If there hadn't
been screws holding in the oven door handle, which had to have
been a stroke of blind luck on Duo's part, or if he had his
pocketknife, gun, or anything else within his reach, he wouldn't
have answered.  But he had to admit, the former Deathscythe pilot
had him cornered.  "Fine.  It was pleasant."

     Duo grinned, but was instantly suspicious of his turn of
good luck.  Heero would never admit that willingly, would he? 
"Are you just saying that so I'll let you out? Or did you really
like it?"

     Heero frowned in frustration.  He wanted to know what was
going on between Trevor and Relena in the other room, but he was
stuck here being given the third degree about his personal life
by one of the most annoying people on earth.  He was beyond
angry; he was emotionally spent.  He hadn't slept in over 48
hours, and he'd been pushed too far already.  Relena had said
'no' again, putting his mission in serious jeopardy.  He and Duo
had fought that morning, and the pain-in-the-neck had accused
Heero of being scared of his feelings for Relena.  Then he had
kissed her, and in doing so, experienced some nameless emotion he
had never felt before at having her in his arms.  But he was too
fatigued and irritable to think about that, instead Doctor-boy
had shown up and provoked his temper all over again.  When did I
lose control over my emotions? He wondered in defeat.  He closed
his eyes and admitted what he never would in other circumstances. 
"I liked it."  

     Duo smirked.  "I knew it."

     That did it.  Heero snapped.  He tugged violently against
the handle he was chained to, unable to dislodge it.  With
adrenaline fueling his movements, Heero tore at it wildly and
succeeded in pulling the oven door off its hinges.  It came out
easily, like a drawer that was lifted off its track.  There was a
loud crash as it fell to the floor, knocking Heero slightly off
balance.  He picked it up in his right hand, and held it like he
was going to strike.

     "Holy shit, Pagan is going to be pissed!" Duo exclaimed,
watching with a horrified expression as Heero freed himself.
     
     "I'm going to go find them.  Stay here, I'll kill you when I
get back," he growled and started for the door.

     Before he reached it, however, Relena entered the room with
Trevor in tow.  But he was in no mood to be trifled with.

     "Shall I pick you up at seven then?" Trevor said loudly with
a self-satisfied smile on his lips.  Heero wished he had never
listened to Maxwell, and killed the enemy when he had a chance.

     "For what?" Heero asked, staring directly at Relena.  She
looked away.

     "For our dinner date," Trevor said with a slight frown, only
visible for the sake of the role he was playing.

     "She's not going with you. She has plans with me tonight.
Get lost," Heero growled and took a step towards the other man,
still holding the oven door his wrist was chained to as a weapon. 

     Relena looked up in surprise.  Is Trevor right?  Could Heero
really have feelings for me? This does appear to be
jealousy...Why is he carrying the oven door? 

     She studied his face, taking in the anger and
uncharacteristic fatigue evident in his eyes and in the way he
held himself.  

     "Oh, right, I forgot what a kidder Duo said you were,"
Trevor said with a short laugh.

     Heero looked confused.  Relena was staring at the large
piece of metal attached to Heero's wrist. She couldn't help it,
she giggled.  "Um, I don't remember us having plans tonight,
Heero.  Was there an issue regarding my security that we needed
to discuss before you are assigned to a new post?" She asked
innocently.  "If so, I'm sure Zechs can handle it."

     Duo could have sworn he saw steam coming out of Heero's
ears, his face was that red with anger.  He knew that Heero had
already been pushed too far if he was tearing apart kitchen
appliances with his bare hands, and hoped that he wasn't going to
be next.  He wanted to warn Trevor to run while he still had the
chance, but he could tell it was too late.

     Heero glared at Relena, then turned to Trevor.  "She's not
going anywhere with you.  Not tonight, or ever again.  If you
step foot in this house, I'll kill you.  If you so much as think
of putting your disgusting lips on her again, I'll hang you by
them from the nearest tree.  Get out now while Duo still has my
gun."

     "Heero!" Relena gasped.

     Trevor paled as the young man's rant had continued on into
promises of certain death.  But he was in it too far to back down
now.  "Geez man, what's your problem?  You're way too uptight
about this...especially for a guy handcuffed to an oven door."

     Heero blinked, then narrowed his eyes dangerously.  The
enemy had not melted into the appropriate quivering puddle of
jelly on the floor.  He must be stronger than he appears.  New
tactic, deceit.  I'll have to move quickly before Relena has a
chance to speak.  "My problem is that you're hitting on my
fianc‚e." 

     It was Trevor's turn to look surprised.  "Uh..."

     In a flash, Heero had moved to her side, and quickly placed
his left arm around his 'fianc‚e'.  "Oh, you mean you didn't tell
him?" He asked her with a look that dared her to contradict him.

     Duo hid under the table and Relena just stared up at the
former Zero pilot.  "I...uh...."

     Trevor finally recovered his wits.  "If you two are engaged,
where's the ring?"

     "Oh, great!  You spoiled it.  I was going to take Relena to
dinner tonight and give it to her.  I was having it resized. 
Isn't that right, Duo?"

     "Whatever you say, man!" Duo called out from under the
kitchen table.  Heero reached into his pocket and pulled out the
ring, which wasn't easy to do with his still-chained right wrist. 
He picked the ring up with his left hand and put it on the
somewhat-dazed-Relena's finger.  She looked down at it blankly.

     I never would have expected this, Trevor thought with a
grin.  "Hmmm...well, my apologies, man, I had no idea.  Hey Duo,
why didn't you tell me she was engaged?"

     Duo's head peeked out from beneath the tablecloth.  "Uh,
sorry about that.  Must have slipped my mind.  Dummy me.  But
hey, let me walk you out!" He said and dashed out from his hiding
place dragging his friend with him to the door while they were
both still living.  As soon as they were out in the hallway, both
men erupted into uncontrollable laughter.

     Heero watched them go with a gleam of wicked triumph shining
in his dark eyes.  Yes, don't let the door hit you in the ass on
the way out, Dr. Styers.      

     Relena finally snapped back into reality.  "Heero Yuy.  I
can't believe you.  Trevor is my guest and my friend, how dare
you threaten him!  What business is it of yours, if I go out to
dinner with him?"

     "You know what business it is of mine.  You're my fianc‚e."
He said smugly and glanced down at the ring on her finger.  

     Relena looked at it a moment, and felt some of the anger
dissipate.  It was a beautiful ring.  "But you tricked me.  I
never said yes."

     Heero shrugged.  "So when's the date? How about next
Saturday?"

     "No.  I didn't agree to marry you, and I have no intention
of being your fianc‚e."

     "And yet you're still wearing the ring."

     She frowned and started to take it off.  He reached out with
his free hand to stop her.  "Leave it." 

     "No.  I'm not marrying you."

     "You're not even giving me a chance."

     "You had your chance.  Eight years worth of chances.  What
do you want now, Heero?"

     "I want you to go to dinner with me.  Keep the ring, and
wear it tonight.  If you still want to return it tomorrow, than
I'll accept it."

     "And you'll take no for an answer and won't fight me when I
have you reassigned?"

     "No.  I won't take no for an answer, and I'll still fight
you on that."

     "You're absolutely exasperating!"

     "It's part of his charm," Duo remarked, coming back into the
kitchen.

     "Duo, unlock these cuffs, and give me back my gun."

     Relena looked at the oven door still shackled to Heero's
right wrist.  "Do I even want to know?" She asked dryly.

     "No." Both Preventers answered at the same time.

     "Well which one do I tell Pagan is responsible?"

     "It wasn't me," Duo protested.  "I mean, look - he's the one
with the door on his arm."

     Relena shook her head.  "Heero, I'll be ready at seven
o'clock.  Duo, unlock the handcuffs.  I'm going to work out,
now." She told the two young men and quickly exited the room.


     Duo shook his head and produced the key to release his
friend.  Heero rubbed the raw flesh on his wrist and glared at
the former Deathscythe pilot.

     "Why don't you go take a nap so you won't be quite so
uptight for your date with Relena tonight," he suggested.

     "Hn," Heero growled, but inside he was secretly pleased at
the way things had turned out, despite the oven door fiasco.
Mission note - blacken Duo's other eye for all his 'help'.

     "Do you still think you can pull this off?  We've only got
five more days."

     Heero smirked.  Things were looking up; she was wearing the
ring.  He was so close to finishing the mission.

     "Good night." Duo said and started to leave.  "Sweet dreams,
buddy."

     "Hn."

     "Of Relena naked," Duo added and quickly disappeared from
the room.