"Don't say goodbye like you're burying him

'Cause the world is round

and he might return..."

- Just Like the Movies by Regina Spektor

Chapter One

The files, the folders, all the manila envelopes, the stamps, the pens, and even the phone were beginning to be too much. Today hadn't started off good. By lunch time, she was one more bad event from bursting into tears. She had made it to the end of the day. She refused to stay late this time. Any other time she would be ignoring the ticking of the clock, her secretary bidding her goodnight and even the random Preventers making their rounds into her office.

Today, she was more than willing to follow her secretary out of the building. She kept quiet, listening mindlessly to her chatter. Relena wasn't a normal girl who could sympathize with her coworkers. She didn't know what it was like to have a new boyfriend every week. She didn't even know what it was like to have a boyfriend period.

There was always gossip about Relena seeing some of her Preventer bodyguards, or even the L4 colony representative, Quatre Raberba Winner. She and Quatre scoffed at the tabloids. It was ridiculous to think she and Quatre could be a couple. It's not like they went out in public together. True, they worked together quite a bit, but it was all for the peace. They worked hard together to make sure everything they fought so hard for during the war wouldn't head back into that direction. Occasionally the political gatherings required them to spend time together as well, but to assume they were a couple was pushing it.

They both knew that it would be wasted energy to deny the gossip. If the reporters did a little digging they would discover that the two had met during the war. He attended her pacifist school, even. However, what the reporters would overlook would be the evidence of another student enrolling the same day as Quatre. No one ever thought about linking Queen Relena to an unknown man such as Heero Yuy.

No one knew him. They never cared to know his name, only calling him Gundam pilot 01. However, Heero was more than happy with the mystery to him. He always liked to live in the shadows, never causing a disturbance for anyone.

Relena made her way to her limo, quietly. She hadn't spoken much to anybody today. Even when she arrived home and was greeted by her loyal guardian, Pagan, she refused to say a word. He understood her better than anyone, having been there before she was born. If she needed time alone, he would always allow it. He would screen her phone calls for her as well, just so her privacy wasn't disturbed.

She loved that man.

Tonight, she didn't go straight into her home office. She went to her bedroom, exchanging her high heeled shoes for plush slippers. She undressed, slipping into an unflattering nightgown. She didn't care. She had no one to impress. No one would see her dressed like this tonight.

In fact, no one would come in to talk to her about her day. No one was going to come in and help her sort through her files. No one was going to be there to let her vent her frustrations anymore. Her only source of strength had vanished.

She wasn't going to give up though. Surely he wouldn't have left her completely. It was highly possible that he had been called away for a Preventer mission. Although, she knew about most missions, especially any concerning him. It was even possible that he would be opening her door tonight, checking on her wellbeing. Maybe her strength hadn't left like she assumed.

She stretched her arms up high over her head, trying to relieve the kinks in her neck and back. She couldn't act as if she had been concerned about his whereabouts all day if he had indeed been there. But, there was just something that wasn't right. She woke up this morning without the feeling Heero always gave her. She woke up feeling like she wasn't being watched. She felt alone.

A knock resounded on her door, breaking her out of her trance. Her voice cracked when she answered, bidding the visitor inside. She held her breath, trying to not get her hopes up. A blonde man stepped inside of her room, saluting courteously. She didn't know this man at all.

"Excuse me, Miss Relena." He said in a light tone.

She tried her best to smile at him, but couldn't help the slumping of her shoulders as she walked across her room towards her enormous bed. It was official, Heero Yuy had left her.

The following morning, she found herself awake with full energy. She was determined to find out what happened to Heero. She skipped breakfast, ignoring the chef's demands to eat at least a slice of toast. She was short with everyone, giving demands like the royalty she was. She never acted the part, but sometimes, it showed.

She just couldn't figure out why he had left other than a mission. He hadn't truly left her side since Mariemaia's coup de tat. He wasn't officially a part of the Preventers until the stunt with Epyon De Telos, but she knew he was always around. It was almost a sixth sense for her. She could feel his presence as if he had wrapped his arms around her. He had never touched her besides the 'kiss' on the dilapidated colony, but they never spoke of it.

However, this morning she wasn't going straight to her office for work. She demanded to be taken to the Preventer Headquarters. She was going to get answers. There was absolutely no reason for her night guards to change so abruptly. She was always informed of such changes, especially when Heero was involved. Relena had tried to keep her teenage feelings bottled up, but every once in a while she thought people knew. She knew Noin knew about it, but that was to be expected when the woman was around her and Heero so often.

Heero didn't think of her like she did him. She was almost certain of it. But the one doubt, the one thing she always had to fall back on was the kiss. If he didn't share her feelings then why would he have kissed her then?

The hallways were empty; spare a random recruit sprinting to an office. She always smiled when she walked these hallways. Everyone was so driven and always in such a hurry. They were always running to get to some one's office, as if the information they had attained was life altering. She had only experienced this once. It was the rare moment she had to debrief with Commander Une, but decided to speak to Heero beforehand. The moment she sat down in his chair to get friendly, a young man burst into his office, demanding that the files were wrong. There was going to be complete chaos if the files were disorganized.

She still laughed at the flicker of expression on Heero's face. He was completely appalled that someone would be so flustered about something so insignificant.

"These new recruits are so anxious. They don't know how to relax and focus. I can't wait to see them on the field." Heero had said once the young man left.

Relena knocked on the repetitive door; all looking the same other than the name plaques. She heard the lock click, allowing Relena admittance.

"Miss Darlian, I wasn't expecting you." Lady Une's cool voice came from behind her desk.

There wasn't any need to tiptoe around her unexpected appearance. Lady Une never liked the small talk, which Relena liked about the woman. They were both extremely busy people.

"I was wondering why my night guards had changed? I wasn't aware that Heero had been sent on a mission." She said, clasping her hands firmly behind her.

"Yuy? I haven't sent him anywhere." Une cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

Relena could feel her composure slipping. Her shoulders were starting to sag. "He isn't on a mission? He wasn't there last night for guard duties, so I just assumed…"

"No, Vice Foreign Minister, he hasn't been sent anywhere. He's filed all of his reports so I am assuming he's still here."

Relena couldn't do anything but shake her head in disagreement. "He's not there anymore, Lady."

"He probably is, but just sending a trainee to do the rounds. These newcomers need experience too." She opened a folder, signaling that the conversation was over. "I wouldn't worry, Relena."

She tried to feign a smile for Lady, turning to walk out of the office quickly. She took a deep breath, placing her slipping emotions back into her chest so no one could see her disappointment. This was going to be another long day.

A.N. So, I have two stories started, but decided to put this one up first. I'm not sure how people feel about AU stories. This one is completely mapped out and outlined, so it shouldn't take me too long to write out.

Let me know if you like the AU HeeroxRelena stories too. I enjoy them if they're done properly.

Thanks!