A/N: Dedicated to all you Wufei x Relena fans; especially Katie Yuy, who started it, and Dootadoot, who lit a fire under my bum. SMH I hope this comes out as beautifully as I picture it. You deserve something beautiful. ;-)

I'm totally nervous about if it came out right, so please, if you enjoy it, review! lol I really need to know. *begs*

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing

As soon as Relena threw the door open in front of her, she was met by the powerful gaze of two young men her own age. The unfamiliar one, a handsome Chinese boy with an old spirit's wisdom haunting his charcoal eyes, stood from his perch at the window. His features showed little emotion, but she felt as though his study of her was from a perspective of disapproval. This friend of a friend certainly did not seem to like her much.

Not easily put off by another person's opinion, least of all someone who didn't know her personally, Relena straightened, her casual walk becoming a march. She stared him down as she entered, blatantly defying his chauvinistic dominance.

When the Chinese warrior sensed her resolve, he began meeting her stride. Each quickly covered the ground until they were nearly face to face, neither allowing themselves to show any weak spot. The other, a Japanese boy Relena had known for nearly two years, immediately recognized the discontentment and moved forward to intercept them. The three converged in the center of the room, three paces distance from one another. Each having faced more battlefields, both literally and politically, than could be counted, there was no confusion on the tension that engulfed them.

Relena smiled pointedly as she took one more, strong step forward and reached out her open palm. "Relena Darlian," she said officially, never shifting her gaze.

"Peacecraft," the soldier seethed, giving her hand a glare of disgust.

"I'll answer to that, too," Relena replied, unmoved by his nonverbal aggression.

The Japanese pilot studied them both warily, waiting for a resolution.

Finally, the Chinese man lowered his head, ever so slightly, his eyes still challenging. "Chang Wufei."

Relena retracted her hand, folding it in front of her. She bowed at the waist, intentionally lower than he would have considered for her, closing her eyes to show respect. "I've heard only good things, Chang Wufei," she said in a kind tone as she rose.

Wufei looked back to the other pilot, between them, noting his posture change at her offer of peace. Begrudgingly, he nodded, again, and took two steps backward, to communicate a truce.

The door opened, again, and in stepped another, older blonde woman with two braids coming just past her shoulders on each side. "Heero," she mumbled and nodded as she passed the Japanese man, who relaxed the rest of the way upon seeing her. When her grip met Relena's her eyes were already on Wufei, scanning him and noting his stance. Silently she nodded to him, a grim, scolding look in her eyes.

"Sally," Relena grinned, greeting her old friend.

"Vice Foreign Minister," Sally answered, turning her attentions back to the politician. "I didn't mean to keep you waiting," she said, apologetically, looking back to Wufei. "Least of all in bad company," she tacked on, only partially in jest.

Relena blushed, feeling awkwardly put on the spot. She turned, leading Sally back, out of the room. "Oh, nonsense," she argued, glancing back at Wufei one last time. "He was perfectly polite."

Wufei looked at Heero with a perplexed expression as the door closed behind her.

:::

"Mars is a hell of a trip," he commented, closing his charcoal eyes as he turned away.

"Hn."

"She'll be different by the time you return," Wufei said quietly, looking out of a second story window at Relena and one of her associates in a courtyard below.

"Only physically," Heero answered, not looking up from the computer.

"No," Wufei said. "Not just physically."

"Hn," Heero grunted. "It's only a few years."

"Have you told her, yet?"

The Japanese pilot stopped typing. That was a no.

"She won't be pleased," Wufei pointed out.

Heero swallowed, beginning ot move his fingers, again. "Her personal feelings surrounding our friendship are irrelevant."

"'Friendship'? Is that what they're calling it, these days?"

Heero pushed away from the desk. He rose, walking over to Wufei's side, where he could clearly see Relena arguing her case with the older man who'd been keeping her company for nearly an hour. The silence between the two observers was thick with unspoken concern.

"She'll need looking after in my absence," Heero said.

Wufei nodded.

:::

Relena laughed quietly, behind him, but when he turned, her attention still seemed to be on the finance request in front of her. Wufei looked back at the text book over his glasses. He could feel her smiling. She was definitely watching him.

"What is it, woman?" He asked in a sharp voice, not bothering to turn, again.

Relena didn't bother to suppress the giggle, this time. "I just—never pegged you for a studious type."

He huffed, tilting his head as he tried to concentrate on the symbols in front of him. "And Meiran never pictured me as a warrior."

"Meiran?"

Wufei opened his mouth, but all that came out was silence for several seconds. His eyes lost focus as the emotions crashed over him in waves, again. A scar, long since forgotten, began to ache.

Swallowing, he suppressed the feelings that threatened to weaken him. "That was a different life," he sighed.

Relena could feel it from across the room. She wouldn't push it, now, but someday he would tell her. Someday, she knew he'd let her see the rest of him.

:::

She hadn't slept at all that night. Not a wink. There were all kinds of roadblocks standing in the way of her Terraforming project and she had dozens of representatives trying to block her agenda for recovery advances on L3. To top it off, she was starting to get lonely. On nights like these, all she could wish for was the company of a man. If nothing else, her room was freezing, and she'd sure like a warm body to hold her close.

How could she ever be expected to sleep in these conditions?

Looking at the clock, she noted that it was nearly 4:30 in the morning. She was furious that she was literally going to get no sleep at all, this time.

With a heavy sigh, she dragged herself out of the bed. If nothing else, at least she could go for a walk. She'd have to be extremely quiet, though. If Wufei knew she was leaving the house unattended, he'd be livid.

Her bare feet felt amazing as they lay quietly across the dew soaked grass. Gently she made her way down the hill and around the tree line to where she knew she had purchased a small pond, though she'd never, yet, had time to visit it, before.

Oh, well, she though. If Wufei finds out, I'll just tell him it's good for my health for me to get outside once in a—

Relena stopped cold when the water came into view. On a small dock that protruded into the scene, there sat Wufei. His legs were laid easily across their opposing thighs, soles exposed to the open air. His wrists resting on his knees, palms turned up and fingers connected, struck her as familiar, though she'd never happened upon it in person. Wufei was meditating in the wee hours of the day.

Engulfed in curiosity, Relena inched closer, especially careful to take her time, as not to disturb his concentration.

"You're supposed to be asleep," he said suddenly, but in a gentle voice, as she sank down on the shore behind him.

"I couldn't," she pouted, dropping her head in her hands. "I'm sorry, Wufei. I didn't mean to interrupt—"

"It's fine," he assured her, as he untangled himself. Wufei stood tall, stretching out before he turned and went to her. "I knew you weren't sleeping tonight. To be honest, I'm glad you came out here."

"You do this often?" She inquired.

He gave her a silent nod.

Relena smiled, looking over the still waters, wondering if picking up an early morning meditation exercise might do her some good, as well.

:::

"He claims that he loves me," she whispered.

Wufei almost felt startled at the sound of her voice. It had been nearly an hour since she rose from her desk, without a word, and stood, looking into the night sky.

"I take it that the feeling is not mutual?"

Relena huffed slightly, shaking her head. "I don't even know what that would feel like, Wufei."

"They say that everyone feels differently when they're in love."

Relena made an intention smacking sound as she opened her mouth. "Well, that's specific," she spit out in a sarcastic voice.

Wufei grinned, shaking his head at her. He finally lifted himself from his traditional corner in her office, standing near her to offer support.

"If you don't love him, then just tell him that."

"But he's so popular with the people."

"Don't let what the people want come before what you need."

Relena sighed, rolling her head against the window frame. "It's never that simple, Wufei."

"Isn't it?"

She smiled sadly.

Her eyes wandered into the clear night sky, again. In her mind she compared her feelings for her boyfriend against those of a man she hadn't seen in a very long time. She thought she'd loved him, but after a few months, she wondered how she could call it love when she adapted so quickly to life without him. But then, while it had lasted, it felt so real. So was it?

Relena turned to Wufei silently, looking into his dark eyes for several seconds, before thrusting herself into her arms, squeezing him close.

"How did you know?" She asked, her voice quivering with emotion.

His arms came carefully around her, returning the embrace. Holding his charge close was not traditional, but the frightening thing was that struck him as almost natural.

Suppressing the questions, he answered, "For me, it was hard won, and it came with overwhelming and unbreakable loyalty."

His words echoed with truth—once thought dead and now reborn.

:::

Wufei paced back and forth by the window as Relena sat stiffly in her seat.

"Why are you so mad?" She asked. "He's not your boyfriend."

He stopped and stared at her, arms crossed, unable to speak for his fury.

"And besides," she mumbled. "I didn't love him, remember?"

"That's not the point," he growled.

"Then what is the point?" she hissed at him, losing the fight to avoid turning her temper on her only ally.

Wufei gawked at her for a moment, before dropping his arms and moving in on her position. "Honor," he whispered. "There is no honor in what he did. There is no honor in what your 'girlfriend' did. And there is no honor in lying about it, until they were caught!"

Relena stood, facing him. "And what does these people's honor—or lack thereof—have to do with you?"

"Everything," he answered with conviction. "Honor is like discipline within a ship of the Navy. A ship may seem to stay its course, following orders and staying in formation, but a lack of honor is like chaos on the bridge. Eventually their dishonor will run the ship ashore and damage the rest of the fleet—the rest of their society."

Relena raised a cynical eyebrow at him. "You're really taking this 'cheating' thing pretty seriously."

Wufei huffed and stormed away as Relena dropped, emotionally exhausted, back into her seat.

:::

"Check mate," Relena said in a soft, but unquestioning voice as she moved her white knight into place.

"It can't be," Wufei mumbled, looking at the board in confusion. "Not again."

"It's okay to admit you're letting me win, Chang," Relena laughed.

"But—I'm not," he frowned.

Relena's face was glowing with genuine happiness. Lazy days like this were a relief to Relena, more and more. She had always come to work, regardless, but when it rained there were less visitors, which meant more time to make good conversation with her bodyguard.

She opened her mouth to raise an argument, but was interrupted by a knock at the door. Before she could turn her attention, the unexpected guest let himself in.

"Heero?" She whispered, her voice laced with shock.

Wufei's entire body tensed of its own accord when he eyed his old comrade.

Relena rose from her position, lunging forward and throwing her arms around the Japanese man's neck. "Oh, Heero," she exclaimed. "How have you been?"

The tall man gave her a very careful study to reacquaint himself with her features after all these years.

"Apparently healthy," she grinned, realizing he wasn't going to answer.

When Heero's eyes met Wufei's, the Chinese guardian stood and nodded in greeting.

"Let me get you something to drink," Relena said in a friendly tone, moving away toward a liquor cupboard she kept to use for honored guests.

Wufei knew there was no danger with Heero in the room, but when he noted the Prussian blue eye lingering on Relena's turned back, every instinct within him was ready to attack. Heero was suddenly the last person he ever wanted to leave alone with her.

:::

Wufei placed the security report on the desk in front of the Vice Foreign Minister, refusing to make eye contact. He tried to turn and leave, but her slender fingers came quickly around his wrist. The assault would have warranted a violent response, but the soft aroma of her perfume always broke down his defenses.

"Wufei," she whispered.

Aware of the other person in the room, he straightened, looking her straight in the eyes. "Is there anything else you need?"

She released her grip, feeling as though she was being pushed away. She balled her hand in a nervous fist at the base of her sternum, sadness and concern overtaking her features as she questioned him with her eyes. "No," she answered softly.

Wufei bowed, turning to leave.

As the door closed behind him, Relena sank into her seat. The body guard in the shadows cleared his throat, reminding her of his presence, but there was no point in putting on the strong face. She couldn't fake it now if she tried.

Heero quietly crossed the room, kneeling at her side as she stared off into space. "He's not angry with you," he said. "He's angry with me."

"But—why?"

"Because I came back."

Relena looked at him, vulnerability filling her azure blues. "But—?"

Heero shook his head, placing a hand on her knee. When Relena sighed, closing her eyes, he took his chance.

Before she knew what had happened, Heero was closer than he had ever been, before. His forehead on hers, the tip of his nose tickling her own. His lips were merely a millimeter form her, his breath mingling with hers as he hesitated there.

"Heero—?"

Closing his eyes, he pressed his mouth against her, catching her words before they slipped out.

When he pulled back, the smile he gave her was more than just to remind her she was safe. Suddenly, she understood, and she was smiling, too.

"Thank you," she whispered, endearingly to her old friend.

:::

"Wufei?"

The office door closed behind him. "Yuy said you asked to see me."

Relena sighed, smiling and nervous. "I—"

Well, she couldn't much lie. Maybe she'd just skip on clarifying the details.

Relena stood at her desk, sternness in her features as she moved toward him. "Yes. Heero and I were discussing your service with me, these last few years."

His posture became tense.

"Heero came to the conclusion that it's best if he does not resign his post," she said as she approached.

His face filled with mirth as she came to his side. He stood solid and statuesque, his gaze fixed on the empty desk. "I will never stop protecting you," he stated.

"I know, but apparently," she continued. "It's not wise for a bodyguard to be distracted by a compromising relationship with their charge."

"Huh?" He turned and looked down on her in surprise.

Relena gently touched his arm, smiling up at him. "Wufei—"

Relena moved upward, toward him, and he closed the distance. His lips met hers with a longing thirst, much like that which she'd been trying to hide. The sweet taste of his mouth on her lips was enough to take her breath away. Wufei's arms came down, around her waist, pulling her close, so her body molded to his. She could feel herself moan as she opened herself to him. His kiss was what she had always hoped.

Perfect.