Title: Life is a Highway

Rating: T (rating may change to M)

Pairings: 1x2, 3x4, 5xM, 1xR

Summary: On an impulsive plan to travel from California to New York City to propose to his longtime girlfriend, Heero Yuy did not plan to pick up a hitchhiker in nowhere Texas. Faced with some setbacks and a growing attraction to his passenger, Heero goes through more challenges than he planned on facing.

Disclaimer: I don't own the characters in this story. I make no money off of this.

A/N: This story is loosely based on the movie "Leap Year" with some twists of my own design. If you haven't watched it, please do. It's a great movie.

Chapter 1

"We need to finalize the documents on the Weathers account and Black called again," said Heero's secretary, Mary. "He wants to know when you'll have the papers for his divorce."

"Tell Mr. Black that I will send him the final draft this afternoon by messenger," said Heero accepting the file Mary handed him.

"Yes, sir," said Mary.

"Get me all the documents I need for today."

Mary nodded and left to get the files Heero needed. Heero sat at his desk and picked up the straight black cup of coffee Mary had set on his desk as he logged into his computer to look through his schedule for the day.

Nearing his thirties, Heero was one of the top lawyers in San Francisco. He accredited his success to hard work. His goal was to be partner in Sanq & Sons firm and possibly run it one day. He could say he had the perfect life. A law degree from St. Gabriel University and was dating a famous actress and super-model, Relena Peacecraft. Her father and brother actually owned Sanq & Sons, which was how they met at a function, but he didn't let her position push him toward his goal. If there was one thing his father taught him was that hard work was its own reward.

As a future partner in the firm, and as the boyfriend to the owner's only daughter, Heero had a lot put on his plate. He didn't let it discourage him and went at his cases with everything he got.

"Don't forget the meeting with the board at Lagrange," said Mary as she walked in and handed Heero the files. "It's at one."

"Thank you, Mary," said Heero taking the files and opened the top one.

Heero knew he had a busy schedule today. He got through is morning case work and meetings without a hitch and went down at one to take his lunch, even though he ate a salad at his desk an hour ago, and meet Relena in front of Lagrange, the most exclusive apartment building in the city. He took a taxi to the building and met Relena out front.

"Heero," she said walking up to him and gave him a peck on the lips.

"How are you, Relena," he asked wrapping an arm around her automatically.

"Well, though I had to fire another hair dresser. None that my agent has hired can manage my hair at all."

Heero looked at her glossy blonde locks but couldn't find one hair out of place. He didn't know why she was complaining. He just ran a comb through his and was ready for the day but apparently women spent at least an hour preparing their hair and hers was in a simple pony tail tied back with a blue bow. What was worse was that it was her third hairdresser in three weeks.

"Can't you do your own hair?" he asked.

Relena looks at him, horrified.

"Do my own hair?! What do you think I am, a pauper? I don't do my own hair."

Heero sighed.

"Sorry, Relena," he said. "I'm sure you'll find a new hairdresser soon."

"I know I will," she said. "Come on. The board's waiting."

She took Heero's arm and led him inside. They took the elevator to the building office where they met with the three heads of the board.

"Mr. Yuy, Ms. Peacecraft," said the woman. "I'm Carla Reid and these two are Matthew Smith and Eric Jones."

"We are so please to be here," said Relena. Heero didn't mind Relena doing the talking. Except in the court rooms and meetings, he wasn't very social able.

"It says here you're a lawyer, Mr. Yuy," said Mr. Smith.

"Yes," said Heero. "I defend high class clients, make up their wills and so forth."

"Have you ever been in court," asked Mr. Jones.

"Yes, sir, I have. Many times."

"And you're a model, Ms. Peacecraft," asked Mrs. Reid.

"Model and actress," said Relena, emphasizing the last word.

"Sound like an exciting life," said Mrs. Reid.

"Oh, it is," said Relena. "The places I've seen have simply been amazing."

"And why do you want to live in the Lagrange?" asked Mrs. Reid.

"Ever since I was a little girl, I couldn't think of living anywhere else but here," said Relena. She reached over and took Heero's hand. "Luckily, I found someone who shared my dream."

There were a few more questions, mostly answered by Relena but Heero answered the few directed to him. A half hour later both walked out of the building, Relena elated and adamant that they got the apartment.

"Oh, this will be great, Heero love," she said. "We'll get the apartment, get married and live happily ever after."

"Of course, Relena," said Heero as Relena's phone went off and she checked it.

"Oh, it's Zechs," she said. Zechs was her brother and manager. "He wants me in for the shoot. We're still on for Catalonia's tonight, right?"

Relena never liked going to the places Heero preferred. Whenever they went out it was always to the restaurant owned by her best friend, Dorothy Catalonia. Heero thought it was because she wanted to support her friend.

Hero preferred establishments that were more middleclass. It was the way he grew up. Money didn't mean a lot to him. He did want money, but he didn't feel the need to throw it around and flash it like some people at the office. He liked steak grilled in a bar with barbeque sauce from the bottle and a glass of beer.

Relena wasn't one of those people. She liked to eat at places were the food was in French and a glass of wine with every meal. She frowned the first time she caught him with a bottle of beer and demanded for him to never "drink that swill" in front of her again.

"Of course," said Heero and watched her leave without a kiss or goodbye.

It wasn't the first time that Relena distanced herself from him. He didn't know why she did. He gave her as much attention that she wanted, remembered her birthday, anniversary and all other important functions she wanted him to attend. They were moving in together, so Heero was doubtful she was unfaithful.

He spent until four pondering this until he met his best friend Wufei for afternoon drinks.

"What's wrong, Yuy," asked Wufei as he sat down.

"Relena's distancing herself," he said. "I don't know why."

"Have you asked," said Wufei.

"Yes, but she said that everything was fine."

"Trust me, fine is woman talk for 'None of your business'."

Heero trusted Wufei a lot in matters of women. The man had been married for five years to his wife Meilin and helped Heero while he was dating Relena. It was weird how some of Wufei's advice didn't connect with Relena. Meilin Long was a police officer who never whined over a broken nail as Relena did and preferred steak to beef wellington. Once a week she taught martial arts to the neighborhood kids and helped out at the youth center. The most Relena did for charity was give a thousand dollars to save the whales.

Relena didn't really approve of Meilin. She said that because Wufei was a lawyer like Heero, he could do better than a lowly street officer. Heero never told Wufei any of this because he knew how much his friend loved his wife.

"I dated Meilin for a month before she asked me to marry her," said Wufei.

"I thought your marriage was arranged," said Heero.

"We're in America, not China," said Wufei. "Through my grandfather did like that I married a Chinese woman, I married her because I love her."

Heero paused in thought when Wufei's words clicked something in his head. They had been together nearly four years. By now, a couple would have been engaged. Was that why Relena was pulling away? Did she want them engaged?

"Do you think that's why she's distancing herself?" asked Heero. "Because I have proposed to her yet."

"It could be it. You have been together for four years. If you don't hurry, she might pull a Meilin."

That's why he will do. He'll propose to her at dinner that night. With that in mind, he finished his hanging out with Wufei and went to a high end jeweler and bought the most expensive engagement ring they had. He already knew Relena's size so he had no trouble getting the right ring.

An hour and a half later, he was sitting at a table at Catalonia's with the black velvet box in his pocket and a nervous left leg. Relena was twenty minutes late. She was never late. She was always adamant to be punctual for everything. If he was even two minutes late she would give him a reprimanding look. Heero learned to be five minutes early for everything.

Now she was twenty minutes late. If it wasn't Relena Heero wouldn't be worried. Now he was. He had half a mind to call her brother but decided to give her five more minutes.

The five minutes was almost up when Dorothy walked up.

"Sorry, Heero, I would have been here sooner, but there was a problem with the shipment," she said with a smile. Heero never did like the way she smiled. It made him feel like she was hiding something. Like a witch. "Relena said that she wouldn't be able to make it and that she was going to be doing a shoot in New York City for a week."

"Why didn't she call me?" he asked.

"Well, you were at work and she didn't want to call you while you were busy," she said. She turned toward a sound in the kitchen before giving Heero another of her witchy smiles. "Excuse me."

She went into the kitchen and started yelling at someone in French. Heero sat in his seat in shock and confusion. Relena left California without telling Heero. The girl was adamant on him telling her all of his destinations but not telling him hers. It was at those times, Heero felt his relationship was one-sided.

Standing, Heero put a tip on the table and walked out. Taking out his phone, he dialed Relena's number but immediately got the voice mail. At the beep, he spoke.

"Relena, I'm at the restaurant and I just got your message, from Dorothy. Why didn't you call me and tell me instead of making me look like an idiot and wait for you? Call me."

He took a taxi and went back to his apartment. It was lavish, a fact Relena berated on him every time she visited. He sat on his couch with the ring box open on the coffee table in front of him, right next to the wedding magazine Relena left on the table. She read everything on fashion. The diamond winked at him in the light of the single lamp. What was he to do now? He had everything planned, granted it took a hour but he thought it would have been good.

Picking up his phone, he dialed the one number he could always rely on.

"How did it go, Yuy?" asked Wufei after picking up. "I didn't expect you to call until tomorrow."

"Relena never came," said Heero. "She had Dorothy relay a message that she was going to New York for a week, after I waited half an hour for her."

"She had Dorothy give you a message at the restaurant? Why didn't she call you?"

"I don't know. I called her but it went straight to voice mail."

Wufei paused.

"Yuy, I'm no expert on girls, but I'd say Relena's telling you something."

"Telling me what?"

"How the hells would I know? I'm not a girl expert." There was the sound of a slap. "Ow! Damn it, woman!"

"Give me that," said Meilin. "Heero, tell me what happened?"

Heero related the entire event. When he was finished, Meilin paused to think.

"Heero, in my experience is that when a girl asks a friend to give a message, she wants to avoid the guy."

"Why would Relena want to avoid me?" asked Heero.

"Well, let's see, you've been together for four years and you have not popped the question once," she said.

Heero paused and Meilin gasped.

"You were!" she said. "You were going to propose to her!"

"Kind of redundant now," he said.

"It doesn't have to be," said Meilin.

One of Heero's eyebrows went up with intrigue.

"How?"

"You could go to New York and propose to her."

Both of Heero's eyebrows shot up.

"Go to New York," he said.

"It'll be so romantic," said Meilin. "You going to New York and proposing to her in Time's Square."

"You think?"

"Meilin, this isn't a dollar store romance novel," said Wufei. There was a smack. "Ow! Damn it, woman!"

"Just because you don't know jack squat about romance doesn't mean Heero doesn't," she said to her husband before speaking with Heero again. "Flowers, dinner and then pop the question. Trust me, she'll love it."

"Are you sure it'll work?" asked Heero.

"Positive. Good luck!"

She hung up and Heero put down his phone in thought. Go to New York and propose to her there? It was a farfetched idea, but would it work?

With one thought in mind, he grabbed his phone, the ring box and went to his bedroom to pack.

XXXXXX

Meilin smirked as she hung up and turned to her husband who looked at him with a flabbergasted look.

"What?" she asked.

"Why did you do that?" he said. "Do you know how Relena treats him? I say her being away from him is a fucking good thing."

"Exactly," she said. "The trip will give him time to think and hopefully discover himself."

"Discover himself?" asked Wufei curiously. Did she know something about Heero that he didn't?

She pats him lovingly on the cheek. Wufei can't help but feel she was sympathizing with him.

"You'll see," she said. "It's your turn to do dishes tonight."

He sighs. Sometimes, his wife was like a vault. There was no way she'd open up to her secrets.

TBC