AN: Oopsies- Lars made a bit of a booboo LOL- everyone was right, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous *is* by Good Charlotte- sorry guys, I have permanently mixed up New Found Glory and Good Charlotte- I'll tell you every single last New Found Glory Song is by Good Charlotte, and every last Good Charlotte song is by New Found Glory -_-;;;; What a good little fan I am LOL.

The last chapter! EEP! Well…that is, unless you're a lemon reader ^_~  Archangel_666 said it best. "There needs to be more sex." LOL, no seriously, the lemon was already planned and worked in, the address at which it can be found at is in my author profile ^_^ (since I couldn't seem to get the URL to show up in this document for some reason -_-)

I'm sorry to have to it on another site :( if only FFN still allowed NC-17 material. There's also going to be an omake following this chapter- I just couldn't resist making fun of myself. ;p

I'd like to take time to send a special thank you to the girls at LoveReflection, Stefy especially, for reading this when it was the raw, spontaneous, unrefined mess that it started out as (can't say it got much better, but y'know ;p) and still laughing your heads off. Every time I heard that one of my stupid jokes made your day, that made *my* day. ^_^ You guys are, to put it simply, the best.

And to everyone who read, thank you so much. Melissa-Malfoy, Sai Hikaru, Kuno-baby, Archangel_666, Dragonrose (*the* number one Elvis fan ^_~), Kiyoko, dracoinfinity, animechick2487, Ami N Aya, Symee_sama, Tumbleweed, FieryQueen86, and Cinpii thank you *so* much for your wonderful reviews, and your patience. I was so happy to see I had people that liked the story so much they came back to read more ^_^ You guys really went the extra mile, and I seriously appreciate it. ^_^ ::big bear hugs::

Okay okay, I know what your thinking, time for Lauren to shut up LOL. She's acting like she won an Emmy, not finishing a fanfic. SO- with as little babble as possible (this is me though- don't get your hopes up ;p) I give you- CHAPTER 7! (dun dun dun) 

~Bound~

Chapter Seven

"I won't go

I won't sleep

I can't breath,

Until you're resting here with me.

I won't leave

And I can't hide

I cannot be

Until you're resting here with me…"

-Here with Me by Dido

Relena slammed the door to her office, heaving a harsh breath. God, that had been harder than she expected.

"Miss President, I'm here for your temporary guard." The unexpected  voice made her heart jump.

She jerked her gaze up to meet the cool green of Trowa's. "Trowa? You're my temp guard? I don't understand- I just told Une about my request for Heero's reassignment an hour ago."

"I appointed myself. I know Lady Une would approve."

Relena gave a vague nod before crossing the room to thump in her chair. Casting the stacks of papers clogging her desk a disgusted glance, she let her head drop to her desktop. Exhaling a weary breath, she allowed herself a few moments to wallow.

"Have you spoken to Heero yet?" She heard Trowa ask, his voice suggesting that he was standing somewhere behind her- just like Heero used to do.

"No." She bit out, squeezing her eyes shut against the pang of grief. "And I don't want to either."

"I think you should give him a chance to apologize-" Trowa began, but Relena cut him off.

"Not you too- I just heard that exact same thing from your girlfriend."

Trowa smiled despite himself. "Lady Une has always had a remarkable capacity for dispensing practical advice. Treize didn't trust her so completely for nothing, you know. You should listen to it. Give Heero at least the benefit of an explanation."

"I've given him six years. I don't know how much time a person like Heero needs, but I *do* know how much time I'm capable of giving. He missed his chance. It wasn't just that incident that made up my mind about him, Trowa. Now if you don't mind, I need review some proposals."

Trowa remained silent as Relena reached for the first paper on the stack, watching her intently as she mentally steeled herself for what promised to be a very harrowing day.

~*~

"Duo, I'd tell you how stupid that idea was, but I'm currently in speechless awe of the untapped depths of your stupidity."

"I'm touched, Heero."

"Obviously."

"Just trust me, man. I *know* it sounds a little off the wall, but it's feasible. We just need 'the Fei's' cooperation.

"Duo, the idea is not only off the wall, it willingly jumped from said wall and it can't get up! And, I didn't think I'd *ever* have to have this conversation with you, but I am not James Bond!"

"Ya kinda look like him…I mean…you obviously don't *dress* like him, but you've kinda got that mysterious danger about you."

"There *is* no mystery! Or danger for that matter! I'm a full time member of the Preventers. I'm private bodyguard to the President of the Earth Sphere Unified Nation. "

"Former bodyguard." Duo corrected.

"The point is, do I *look* like I'm about to suddenly sprout a suaveness I don't possess and go sip martini's?"

"It could happen."

"No, it couldn't. The plan is dumb, I'm not doing it, the end."

"Well, you got any better ideas?"

"…"

"Didn't think so."

"Let me *try* and talk to Relena first. Maybe I can resolve things with her before having to resort to…that…"

Heero sighed. He had just had that conversation with Duo two nights ago, but it had seemed like ages. The fact of the matter was, getting in to see Relena was easier said than done. Even members of the Preventers could only get close to her if they happened to brush shoulders in the halls of Headquarters. The only people to see her on a daily basis were her private guard detail, her secretary, and Lady Une.

He raked a hand through his chocolate colored mane in exasperation. So how the hell was *he* supposed to get to her? And manage to evade security long enough to have a conversation for that matter. He leaned back against the rough brick of the security gate surrounding Relena's main office building, the soothing warmth of the wall feeling good against his tense shoulders.

God or some other un-named deity or force must have been having a good day (or be prone to pity), because an unexpected solution to the dilemma Heero found himself in appeared suddenly, in the form of the presidential limo. It pulled up to the very curb Heero had been staring at, and stopped, obviously intending to drop off its' passenger. He started as Relena stepped out of the car, smoothing her business skirt. She leaned over to the driver's side window, talking softly to her chauffer.

"Thanks for dropping me off by the front gates. This should be quick so I'll see you at home in about an hour. Bye, Pagan."

Heero moved to walk forward, a plan forming in his head. He would just take Relena by the elbow and lead her to somewhere they could talk- simple, easy. Almost…*too* easy.

Without ceremony, Trowa emerged from the other door, his cool gaze momentarily sweeping over the opposite end of the street from Relena.

Heero's eyes narrowed dangerously. It was bad enough that Trowa had dangled that key in front of Heero's face and then socked him in the gut when Heero tried to retrieve it. It was even worse that he had been a main contributing factor to the anger that fueled Heero's unusually reckless mouth- said mouth being the whole reason he was stuck in these unfavorable circumstances. But it was beyond insufferable that Trowa willingly took his job… *his job*! A man can only bear so much- and Heero had reached his limit.

The limo drove away, leaving Trowa and Relena standing at the curb. Heero stalked up to the taller man, his stance radiating fury.

"Heero!" Trowa exclaimed, turning to face Wing's former pilot.

Heero drew back his fist and struck, his knuckles cleanly connecting with Trowa's jaw. The taller man's head flew back, the attack clearly unanticipated.

"Heero!" Relena gasped, putting herself between Trowa and her former bodyguard, pushing slightly on Heero's chest to get him to back away. "What are you *doing*!?"

"Relena, we need to talk." Heero's dismissed Trowa almost instantly, instead turning that piercing blue stare on her.

"I'll chalk that one up to karma." Trowa mused, having recovered from the blow, a hand lightly touching the place Heero had punched him. He winced slightly.

"Trowa, we need to get you some ice." Relena's concern was evident in her voice.

Trowa shook his head. "I think you should speak to Heero first, Ms. President."

Heero's angry expression slipped a bit as he shot a mildly surprised look at Relena's new bodyguard.

Relena threw Heero a cold glare before turning her head away. "I refuse. There's nothing left to say."

"Relena, if you'd just listen to me for a minute, I can explain-" Heero was cut short by Trowa's voice.

"In that case, Ms. President, allow me a moment with him. I'll meet you inside."

Relena hesitated before nodding her consent. Leaving the pair she walked leisurely to the entrance, her hair swaying slightly in the breeze. Her distance, coming from someone once so familiar made Heero's chest ache dully as he watched that honey colored hair dance on the wind.

Trowa cleared his throat, jerking Heero's attention back to him.

"What do you want? Need to gloat a bit?" There was a hint of sullen resentment under Heero's flat tone.

Trowa's one visible eye regarded the Japanese man seriously. "I never wanted this for you, Heero." He insisted.

"That's funny. You don't seem particularly apologetic." The comment was out of Heero's mouth before he even realized he had said it.

"Why should I be? It was your own fault this happened." Trowa's green gaze narrowed. "Try and pin this on others, Heero. In the end, it was you pushing her away all these years. No one else- not even Dr. J who so perfectly severed your heart- can be blamed for that."

Heero inhaled sharply, the words more effective than a punch to the gut. Slowly, he lowered his head, his hand clenching at his side. "I know…I…I drove her away myself. I don't know what's gotten into me lately. Pardon my actions. They were rash."

A wry smile transformed Trowa's once stern face. "Don't beat yourself up. No one's flawless. Not even the Perfect Soldier."

Heero smiled painfully at that. "No, I guess not. But Trowa- I must speak with her."

Trowa nodded. "I agree. Wait a little while, though. She's still angry- give her some time to settle down. Then try again."

Heero hesitated. "Duo had a plan…I was hoping I'd be able to speak to her today, so I would be able to avoid being subjected to it." He frowned.

Trowa had to laugh. "Do what Duo says Heero. He was surprisingly successful in his last endeavor."

"Or merely lucky."

"Either way, neither one would hurt your current situation."

Heero groaned. "You obviously haven't heard about what he's planning."

Trowa shook his head in amusement. "Just try it, Heero- we don't give Duo enough credit sometimes. And now, my friend, I must leave. But I have a feeling this new position will only be a temporary one."

Heero heaved a heavy sigh. "Thank you, Trowa. Guard her well for me."

The great banged-one nodded. "Of course." And with that he walked off in the same direction Relena had just minutes earlier.

Heero pulled out his cell phone as he watched him go, a wince settling over his features as he dialed a familiar number.

"The Maxwell is in the house!" A familiar cry rung in Heero's ear.

"Duo…It's Heero."

"Heero, my man! What's the verdict?"

Heero cast one desperate glance to the sky. 'I'll be regretting this one in the morning…'

"I'll do it."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

*One week later*

A mysterious figure was silhouetted against the giant orb of the moon, sleek and dangerous sinews of muscle wrapped in tight fitting leather and frail light. An edge of menace charged the atmosphere surrounding the enigma as its' cold blue eyes burned in the night.

"Hey Heero!" Duo called up to his friend crouched on the perimeter wall surrounding the Presidential Estate in Brussels.

"What?" The mysterious figure snapped.

"Get down here, man!"

Heaving a weary sigh, Heero leapt from his vigil, landing on the soft forest foliage below.

The moment he stood a strong beam of light shone on his person, clearly displaying the clothing he sported.

"They say a picture is worth a million words. This is at least ten times more valuable." Wufei smirked from behind the blinking red light of a camcorder.

Heero seethed. "Duo, you said no one would see me dressed in this ridiculous get-up!"

"Hey, it's the only way I could get Wufei to agree to let us get to the President! I tried everything! Money, favors, nude photos,-"

"Oh, Hilde would just *love* it when she found out you're distributing those." Heero snorted.

"The pictures *weren't* of Hilde." Wufei shuddered.

"But all he wanted was a commemorative souvenir of the blessed event." Duo finished.

"This will keep me amused on many a boring night, my friend." The commanding officer of the night shift guard flashed a sinister grin. He zoomed in, focusing on each item of Heero's attire in turn. He stopped when he reached the pants and shot Heero an amused look. "Those look a little tight…"

"Don't look at me. *Duo* was the genius behind the "Mission Impossible" outfit."

"Hey!" Duo protested, "Chicks dig guys in tight leather."

"My spandex was easier to move in and just as tight." Heero argued.

"Heero…you don't understand…that's *spandex*. *This* is leather."

Heero rolled his eyes. "Whatever. So I take it I have the all clear to proceed with the mission?" He raised an inquisitive eyebrow at Wufei.

Wufei turned away. "I've got what I came for. I won't alert security, but the rest is up to you. Good luck."

Heero nodded as he scaled the wall.

Leather was cursed, wedgies were had.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Heero skulked through the expansive gardens of the Brussels Presidential Estate. He was a master in his element- dedicating insane amounts of time to studying the geography and layout of the mansion, he knew it almost as well as he knew the Peacecraft property. Every detail, down to the last door and alcove was filed away for reference- there was no way they'd be able to detec-

Heero's thoughts were tragically cut short as he tripped over a loose cobblestone, stumbled and landed face first on the stone path. He grunted and froze, waiting for someone to hear his fumble.

Minutes ticked by without any sirens or footsteps sounding in the empty gardens. Heero cautiously rose, puzzled, but pleased. Not taking his unexpected break for granted he crept stealthily to Relena's wing of the building, mentally rehearsing his speech as he went.

~*~Meanwhile in the main surveillance room~*~

"Did you hear something?" One of Wufei's subordinates looked up from the screen he had been staring at, glancing around curiously.

"Nah, one of the bystanders just dropped something by the camcorder microphone, O'Donnell." Wufei lied, hoping the young man would buy it.

"Oh right. It sure was nice of you to bring in your 'Girls Gone Wild 7' tape, Sir." The blonde beamed a happy smile up to his superior before turning his attention back to the college girl pouring a margarita down her shirt.

"Yeah. No problem." Wufei muttered, a slight disgust welling up at the slack jawed, round-eyed expression his Preventers wore. 'You *owe* me, Yuy.'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Relena cracked one eye open as she heard a window open and shut, careful footsteps muffled by lush carpet.

She tensed in her bed, her mind going blank. 'What should I do!? Shoot, I *knew* reassigning Heero was a bad idea.'

Reaching for her alarm clock she froze as she felt the figure come to a stop by her bed. Squeezing her eyes shut she yanked the cord from the wall and in one mighty swoop, brought the heavy ceramic clock down on her would-be assailants' head.

A familiar groan made her freeze in her second assault with her alarm.  "Heero!?"

The young man rubbing his head glared up at her from beneath his spiky bangs, doing his best not to admire the way her silky nightgown clung to her all-too-familiar curves. "You have no idea how difficult it was to get in here."

Relena sniffed and turned her back to her former bodyguard. "Can't say I'm sorry. Get out, Heero. I've said all I needed to say to you."

"Yes," Heero agreed, "*you* have. I, however, still need to clarify a few things."

Relena shot him a dirty look. "I think you were pretty clear last time I talked to you."

Heero shook his head. "No, that's just the thing. I *wasn't*."

"Okay, *now* I would say that you're having clarity problems."

"Relena, please, just let me explain myself." Heero pleaded. Relena's face settled into a suspicious frown as she blinked her sleep-clouded eyes. Heero never asked, much less *pleaded*. She sighed and glanced at her alarm clock out of habit before realizing it wasn't there because she had clobbered Heero over the head with it.

Well, he *had* come all this way. And gone through all that trouble. And still wanted to talk even though she had attacked him. Weighing the consequences of each outcome she arrived at her decision with a swift conviction.

"Get out." She ordered, turning her nose up in the air.

Heero started. He had been certain his humility tactic would be successful. An error on his part, to underestimate a woman scorned. He was now up the creek without a paddle. When in doubt, act like you're not.

 "Relena, I'm not leaving."

"You better, or I'll have to call security. You don't want to be thrown out by your own people, Heero. Please, leave before I have to embarrass you." Relena said with a little sadness, but mostly frigid, well-schooled indifference.

Indifference *he* had taught her, he realized with a pang.  She sighed before rising, making her way to the red panic button located by her light switch. His mind worked furiously, trying to think of someway to stop her from calling security, and the humiliation that would come with his failure…humiliation???

"Don't touch that button." Heero warned, his voice darkening with the intent to intimidate.

Relena whirled around in anger. "You've got some nerve. After all you've done, even going so far as to *break into my room*, you still think you can tell me what to do? I've removed you from the picture Heero- you are no longer part of my life. You have no right to come charging in here, demanding I hear you out."

Heero winced, a thin smile touching his lips. "You're right, but I'm a desperate man, Relena. I have no choice but to use unfair methods. If you call security- I'll tell the media about your secret boy band obsession."

Relena gasped in outrage. "You *wouldn't*."

"I would. Along with your late night ice cream binges, and just exactly *how* many books in your library marked "political science" are actually romance novels- and I won't stop there, either. I'll make sure to mention how many are the *lewd* kind as well."

Relena glared, and Heero's smile turned smug. "Bodyguards always know the deep dark secrets."

She plopped down on the bed, and crossed her arms over her chest. "You have five minutes." She informed him coolly, using the clock on her wall as a reference. 

Relief flooded Heero as he rose from the floor, sitting next to Relena on the bed. Finally, it was time to recite his well-rehearsed speech. Hours had been poured into the speech, as he carefully considered each sentence, mentally weighing the impact of every word. He had practiced several times in front of a mirror, to make absolutely certain his timing and rhythm were flawless. Finally, after a week, he was confidant he would be able to pull it off without a hitch. He knew it like the back of his own hand. He opened his mouth to begin- and drew a blank. Apparently, Heero didn't know the back of his hand very well.

He searched the recesses of his brain, straining for an inkling of the perfected prose that had resided in his brain just minutes earlier. Try as he might, the speech had flown out of his memory. No amount of clever improvisation would get him through this. Seconds ticked by, their heavy clicking like a death toll.

"Well? Are you going to say anything or not?" Relena frowned.

"I had a speech." Heero assured her. "I rehearsed it several times. But I don't seem to remember it…I don't even know where to start…"

Relena spared him a glance, intending to crack a smart remark. But he looked so lost and helpless, she couldn't help but want reach out to him, even if it might burn her in the end. She warred with herself for the barest instant before giving in to the urge. Sighing heavily, she laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and spoke in hushed tones. "How about the beginning, Heero?"

He glanced at her and she gave him an encouraging smile.

"Alright." He said, gathering his thoughts. "Ever since I met you, I knew you were…different. I couldn't kill you. That's never happened to me before. I kept seeing you- when I woke up after I self-destructed, after the ZERO System tricked me into fighting Quatre… during the battle at Sanq when Epyon was driving me mad." He swallowed, slowly piecing together his sentences- not from the vague wisps of his perfected sermon, but from his own racing thoughts. "I had no control concerning you- no power over my emotions or what I was thinking. I ran away from you, in an attempt to escape that feeling."

Relena blinked, suddenly gaining a great insight into many of Heero's actions. He had been afraid.

"It was the same thing when I found you handcuffed to me that morning. I felt like I had lost all my control. I…I tried to distance myself from you. I didn't want to be forced to come to terms with my feelings for you.  I didn't want to accept that I might…care about you."

"Heero…" Relena breathed, his honesty stealing her words.

He spoke now in a rush, the awkwardness he had felt earlier dissolving as his explanations came pouring out.

"So, I resisted again. You said I was mad at you- I wasn't. I was angry at myself, not you. I was unable to handle the situation the way I wanted to. I blamed it on everyone but myself- Duo, Elvis, Howard. And I believed myself. But then when you said you never wanted to see me again, I…I knew that I had been hiding…"

Relena's heart pounded furiously, his words making her dizzy with their implications and emotion.

He pulled something out of his pocket and pressed it into Relena's hands.

"The handcuffs?" Relena asked, looking down in surprise. "But I thought they had to cut them off of your wrist?"

Heero looked down at the small silver circles fondly. "I had Howard fix my lock. He had to actually pick it with special tools, to get it off my wrist. It took a long time."

"But…why?"

Heero placed his larger, tan hands over the cuffs in Relena's small, pale ones.

"They made me realize something very important." His eyes bore into hers, intensely blue, gazing into her depths as effectively as any X-ray might.

Her voice was a mere whisper. "What did they make you realize?"

He slid his hands downward, over the cuffs until he was cupping her own hands, his calloused fingertips lightly stroking the tendons there.

His voice was gruff as he spoke. "That I was inexorably bound to you, and have been since the day I met you. The cuffs- they were only a physical manifestation of that. And because of these, I realized…I realized that, I love you. Relena, I'm sorry for everything I've put you through. Please, forgive me."

He chanced a look at her face, and found astonishment written all over it. A tear slipped down her cheek before she smiled, and Heero felt his body relax under the brilliance of it. "You ran over your five minutes. But I think it was worth it."

Suddenly, she smacked both palms against his chest, sending Heero flying backwards onto the bed, haphazardly sprawled out amongst her pillows and blankets. She was quick to follow him, straddling his waist without hesitation. Pinning his arms above his head, she looked down at him.

"I'll forgive you, Heero, but only on one condition." A playful grin teased the corners of her mouth.

Heero, slightly disoriented, looked up at her in confusion. "What's the condition?"

The grin turned seductive as she leaned in close and captured his mouth in a slow, wet kiss, making him dizzy with longing. He began to participate eagerly, his world narrowing to the woman on top of him. He noted her lips curling into a smile against his before he heard a faint "click".

He broke off the kiss and realized the click had come from the handcuffs being closed loosely over his wrists. He followed the length of the chain connecting the two bands, noting that she had looped it around the bars of the headboard, effectively restraining him. He once again looked at her, not quite comprehending her actions.

The grin was back, sly and mischievous. "My condition: I get to be on top."

"What!?"

"Leather does interesting things to your butt, Yuy."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

AN: Ta dah! The end! If you're a lemon reader, you know where to go ^_~ There's also an omake following this chapter, so we're not *completely* all Bounded out, but as far as plot, the story ends here. ::waves:: Thanks for reading, thanks for the comments, and thanks for making this a wonderful writing experience. ^_^ I've had way more fun that is allowed with this story, and I hope I managed to give some of it back to you readers. 

The Soundtrack

Shinobi vs. the Dragon Ninja by Lost Prophets

Let Me Go by Cake

Glycerine by Bush

Here With Me by Dido