Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Behind the Scenes ❯ Chapter 12

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Title: Behind the Scenes 12/?

Author: C-Chan2 aka Neptunesdemon

Archive: WufeiDuoYaoiML

Category: Romance

Pairings: 2+5/5+2

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: None

Warnings: Yaoi, OOC, AU.

------------------------------

Green eyes followed as the book store employee headed for the doors after a quick goodbye to some co-workers. He could see that the man was smiling, but he could tell that something was wrong. He liked to consider himself a good friend, a best friend even, and that meant that he always knew when his friends were upset.

He honked his horn to get his friend's attention. It worked, and the dark-haired gentleman snapped his head in his direction. He smiled to his buddy as he leaned over the passenger's side seat to open the door. He saw Wufei's confused face melt into one of relief and he waved his friend over.

"Hey.", he greeted, as Wufei walked over, "Need a lift?"

Wufei answered by climbing in and closing the door. He looked around impressed at the interior as he buckled in, before he turned to his banged best friend for an explanation.

"So where did you get this? It's a drastic change from your old beat up Chevy.", he was smiling as he looked at his friend, "And aren't you supposed to be at work right now?"

Trowa merely shrugged as he pulled out into the congested 5th Ave traffic, before chancing a glance in his friend's direction.

"I am officially on vacation for the next two weeks, so that I may properly celebrate being promoted to the title of Vice President of J.M. Marsh Advertising."

"Get out!", Wufei laughed, not wanting to believe a word of it, "You got promoted?"

"Yes, I did.", Trowa confirmed it, turning right onto West Fourty-Ninth Street, "I bought this with my bonus. I figured I could afford it now that I'm making triple the salary that I had before. Not to mention that I'll be on a cruise of the Mediterranean with my ever lovely life-partner."

Wufei scoffed at that, before he looked to Trowa with a skeptical look. He had never heard Trowa use the term "life-partner" before, since it was much too permanent for his liking. It would seem that the euphoria from his good news was getting to his head. That or Trowa was actually serious. Quatre would be ecstatic to hear that Trowa was in it for the long haul, it would give him something to hold over Wufei, who he secretly suspected Trowa was in love with.

Wufei looked over the interior of the new BMW before settling in to the leather-patented seat. It was good to see his friend so happy. At least some one was.

"That's great.", Wufei told Trowa, "Congratulations. Quatre will be excited. He'll love the car, too."

"Not as much as he'll love the one I bought him."

Black eyes widened and Wufei's jaw dropped at Trowa's words. There was no way that his friend wasn't pulling his leg.

"You're making that much?"

"Well, not that much.", Trowa corrected him, "I couldn't afford to get you one. I guess I'll have to wait until a couple of paychecks."

"You don't have to buy me a car, Trowa. I'll still be your friend if you decide to be a cheapskate."

Trowa risked glaring playfully at the Chinese man, who only gave a soft laugh at the halfhearted look. They took another left onto 6th Ave and headed uptown, their obvious goal Trowa's shared apartment.

"So, what's up?", Trowa questioned, changing the point of focus to his pal, "I've noticed for the past month you've been, I don't know, a bit down. Anything you want to discuss?"

He caught from the side of his eye as Wufei's smile disappeared, and he waited until they were stopped at a red light before looking over to him. It was obvious that something was wrong, but if he knew Wufei like he claimed to know him, the man would deny it or try and change the subject.

"It's nothing.", Wufei said with a shake of his head, "I went by my parent's yesterday. They gave me some steamed buns, and told me to give them to you. If you drop me home we can get them."

"No."

Wufei seemed shock at Trowa's outright answer, and he looked to his friend who let his eyes go back to paying attention to the road. Then they were parking, in front of a hydrant, but it was obvious that the green-eyed man didn't care. With the car shut off, Trowa merely sat back and waited. What he was waiting for, Wufei had an idea, but he didn't want to think about it, let alone talk about it outright.

He sighed, leaning back into his seat and closing his eyes so that he could focus on not getting moody. He knew however that there was no way that Trowa would let him go free.

"Trowa, please.", he begged, not turning to look at his friend, "Just take me home."

"You're going to talk to me.", the voice was stern and held no room for argument, "I'm tired of you avoiding this subject. Tell me what's wrong, Fei. I want to help any way that I can."

"There's nothing you can do.", Wufei finally opened his eyes, but avoided turning to the green-eyed man.

"How the hell would you know, you won't even discuss it with me.", Wufei could tell Trowa was getting angry, "I'm supposed to be your best friend, Fei. That means whatever you need, I can try my best to help you get it!"

"Can you bring him back!", Wufei snapped, onyx eyes burning in his friend's direction, "Can you make him answer his phone! Can you find any way to get to him and make him explain to me why I haven't heard from him, haven't seen him, in an entire month! Can you do that, Trowa!"

Trowa stopped unable to answer Wufei's questions and a bit shocked that they were shouted at him. This went a lot deeper than he was expecting, though he had had a feeling that it was connected to Wufei's lover. He saw Wufei bend his head, his loose locks hiding his face away, and Trowa knew that he had done the right thing.

"Fei-"

"He hasn't called, he hasn't come back and I can't reach him.", Wufei started softly, interrupting Trowa, "It's been two months, Trowa. Two months."

"I'm sure he has his reasons.", Trowa began, watching Wufei scoff, "I'm sure he does."

"Well, why didn't he just tell me when we last met!", Wufei burst out, turning to glare angrily at his friend, "He could have told me, and I would have understood!"

"Would you have?", Trowa questioned him.

"Yes!", Wufei shouted.

Trowa only watched as Wufei slumped back into his seat, his head hanging again and shaking in the opposite answer of his first.

"No.", Wufei worded, and then he was shrugging his shoulders before uttering, "I don't know."

Trowa could have sworn that he felt it before he heard Wufei's choked sob; his friend's heart was breaking and he really couldn't do a damn thing about it. In his book, he'd kick the bastard's ass for hurting Wufei, but as it was he was no where to be found.

He reached over to rest a comforting hand atop Wufei's head, stroking the ebony strands gently as the Chinese man tried his best to contain himself and not cry any more than he already had. With his tears at bay, but his eyes still watery, he looked to Trowa who gave him a sorry look.

"I should have known it wouldn't last.", Wufei said with a dry laugh, "I was pretty stupid, wasn't I?"

"You're not stupid, Fei.", Trowa corrected him, wiping a tear away from his friend's cheek, "You're in love. And from what I could make out, there's a chance that your lover was, too. I never met the guy, so I can't really speak for him, but I can take an honest guess. There has to be a reason, Wufei."

"I should have never fallen in love with him.", the Chinese man mumbled, his arms crossing as he took to staring out of the windshield.

"You can't help who you fall in love with, Wufei. It's just your luck that you had to fall in love with a man who's involved with someone else and has a high profile."

Wufei stiffened as Trowa reminded him that Duo was in fact part of another relationship. Did he actually leave him for Relena? After the countless promises of how he was going to leave her, did he turn his back on Wufei for fame, fortune, and a relationship that would please the masses?

Trowa took one look at his friend's face and knew exactly what he was thinking. And though it was definitely a possibility that his lover had returned to his original partner, it was his duty to convince Wufei otherwise.

"Wufei, I know what you're thinking.", he said, resting a shoulder on Wufei's shoulder, "I think-"

"Don't try to convince me otherwise, Tro. I know what happened.", he was cut off by his friend, "How could I have been so stupid? How could I believe that he would actually leave her for me?"

Wufei turned to Trowa then, his tear-brimmed eyes a mixture of hurt and anger.

"Take me home.", he demanded softly.

"Fei-"

"Now, Trowa!", he was shouting now, and his anger was surfacing more than his hurt.

"I still think that we should talk about this."

Trowa watched as Wufei flung the door open, luckily avoiding smashing it into the hydrant, and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"Then I'll take myself home."

Wufei slammed the door behind him after leaving the car, and Trowa only sighed before pulling the keys out of the car and following after him.

"Hey, buddy that's a hydrant you're in front of.", a cop informed him as he headed after Wufei, who was walking pretty fast.

He turned to face the officer, walking backwards and only shrugged.

"I know, just give me the ticket. I'll be right back."

Then he turned around and started running after Wufei. He caught up to him as he started his way down the subway stairs, but Trowa cut him off by going in front of him, blocking his path every time the man tried to get around him.

"Would you please leave me alone!", Wufei finally yelled, frustrated with his friend, "I don't want to talk about this any further! I didn't want to talk about it at all, but you insisted. Now I feel like shit, and I just want to go home! Now move, Trowa!"

"No."

Wufei's eyes widened as Trowa grabbed him, pulling him closer and to the side so that people could continue to pass up and down the stairs.

"You can't keep running.", Trowa nearly hissed, his green eyes narrowed on his friend, "Not from him, not from your problems or anything that messes up your perfect little bubble, and definitely not from me. Do you understand me!"

The last question was yelled and attracted a lot of attention. It made Trowa let go of his friend so that people didn't think this was a domestic dispute. When the curious and suspicious looks faded, he looked back to Wufei who had went up a couple of steps to put distance between them.

"You're going to tell me everything.", he ordered, his voice softening.

"Why should I tell you anything?"

"Because I know exactly who he is.", Trowa revealed.

He watched Wufei's eyes go blank and his face turn pale. He was betting that the man would never have guessed that he knew and was trying his best to make sure that it never happened.

"How did you-"

"Did you think you could hide things from me forever, Fei?", Trowa asked, climbing the stairs so that he was once again in front of him, "I know a lot more than you think I know and I think you have a lot more to tell me."

Wufei was silent for a long while, as he looked up at Trowa with a blank expression. There was nothing he could think to say and he was in some sort of shock. He should have known that Trowa would have discovered things sooner or later, and all he could think of now was, how long would it take every one else?

"Fei, come on.", Trowa said taking him around the shoulder, "I'll take you back to your place so you can have your privacy. Besides, Quatre's the last person you want to know, right?"

That pulled Wufei from his stupor and he glanced up at his taller friend with a horrified expression as they started back to the car.

"He doesn't know does he?"

"Of course not.", Trowa assured him, "I would never risk your life. I actually like you."

It helped Wufei smile, even if it was small, but Trowa was satisfied to see it.

"Come on. I'll buy you dinner on they way to your place."

------------------------------

Duo sat on the couch, his hands folded as his arms steepled, elbows resting on his knees. His violet eyes were staring down at his cellphone, as his mind thought things over. He had been contemplating for the past few days if he should call or not. He wasn't sure. How the hell would he explain his complete disappearance to Wufei? He was sure that the Chinese man would be more than angry, and he had no idea how he would appease him.

He had avoided Wufei in every possible way when his lover did try to contact him, and he had never once tried to get back to him. He had taken Heero's advice, though he would have rather gone on with the way things had been going. He knew that his friend had steered him in the right direction. Upon his return to California, Duo had been bombarded by the paparazzi at the airport, camera's flashing and the damn vultures wanting to know if he and Relena had split.

He wouldn't have been too bothered by the swarm of tabloid reporters and he would have easily side-stepped them without a parting glance, but one man in particular caught his eye. Zechs Marquise had been standing on the sidelines, dressed in a casual suit and designer sunglasses. His face had held a smug smile and as Duo's eyes connected with him, he had waved, as if they were best friends.

That had stopped Duo in his place, his eyes narrowing on the slime ball of a man, trying to figure out what the hell he could possibly want. He knew that Zechs Marquise wasn't your everyday tabloid typhoon, he was a master at his work and he was damn good at getting the dirt that no one had expected. Lucky for him, Sally had come to pick him up and had merely dragged him away before he could encounter the blond bastard. It didn't ease his worry though, because he knew that if the infamous Zechs Marquise was following him, then the shit was bound to hit the fan sooner or later.

He was pulled from his thoughts at the sound of advancing footsteps. He glanced up in time to watch his girlfriend walk into the room, dressed in a light pink, floral patterned sun dress and white high-heeled sandals. She smiled at him as she drew closer, before she was easily slipping into his lap, her arms wrapping around his neck. Duo forced himself not to stiffen at the contact, and he allowed her to press a kiss to his lips as a greeting.

He realized that they weren't alone and he glanced up as their lips parted to find Relena's personal assistant and bodyguard glaring daggers at him. Dorothy didn't like him, and granted that he didn't like her either, but they had no choice but to put up with each other.

"What were you thinking so hard about?", Relena questioned.

Her voice pulled both Dorothy and Duo's attention away from each other and on to her. The actor only shrugged, before offering her a smile that took him some effort to fit on his face.

"Nothing, baby.", he told her, reaching a hand out to brush a strand of dark-blond hair back in place, "Just contemplating an offer that Sally pitched to me. It's a new horror movie, but you know how I feel about those."

Relena scoffed with a roll of her eyes, before she was leaning in closer to press more against her precious boyfriend. She didn't miss the short moment that he stiffened up, but she ignored it for the moment. His feeling uncomfortable now was nothing compared to how he had made her feel two months ago. Even though he had been playing the ever loyal and faithful boyfriend, she wasn't stupid. She could tell that he was still thinking about his other lover. Relena could see it in his eyes when he was staring off idly.

"So, what are you dressed for?", Duo's question stopped her thoughts from straying, "Going out on the town or meeting a few friends for lunch?"

"No, just going out to do a little shopping.", Relena told him, "Before I left, I figured I should ask you to join. We can make it a day out."

"Thank you, but I can't.", the braided star declined politely, "I'll be having a meeting with Sally soon, and then I promised Heero I'd help him move in to his new place."

He watched as Relena pouted and he knew that the begging would follow.

"Please, Duo. I haven't spent time with you at all.", she told him, though it was far from the truth.

The two had seen nothing but each other for the past few weeks. With Duo's movie shoot wrapped up and Relena on a break and in no rush to head back to work, the two had spent copious amounts of time with each other. That was also a reason why Duo had made sure to avoid Wufei's calls. He couldn't risk speaking to him with Relena there.

"Honey, don't you love me anymore?"

His eyes snapped up to look at the actress, who sat innocently waiting for his answer, since he had ended up staring off into space. Something was telling him that he should be extra careful, and he then turned his eyes to Dorothy. She stood quietly, a distance off by the doorway to the den, her blue eyes narrowed on the actor, as if she dared him to answer in the wrong way. What the hell was going on?

"What makes you ask me that?", he countered with question of his own.

"Nothing.", Relena shrugged, "Just curious and I want to know."

No, I love someone else. That was the answer he wanted to tell her, but he knew that was the last thing he should do.

"Relena-"

Luckily enough, his ringing cellphone interrupted him, and he looked down at it to see who had come ringing to his rescue.

His eyes widened as he recognized the number, having long deleted the name so that Relena wouldn't ask questions or catch on.

It was Wufei.

His stomach dropped as Relena reached for it before he could even think of it, and she lifted it to look at the number displayed on the screen. Her face frowned, obviously not familiar with the number, and then she looked to Duo with a confused mask. Duo felt relieved. However, he forgot that she was an actress and she was aware that this particular number had been calling his phone very often.

"Is this someone you know, honey?", she asked him.

"Probably a director or a wrong number.", Duo lied, reaching to take it from her.

Relena pulled it out of his reach and flipped open the phone.

"I'll answer it then.", she said, pressing the answer button and bringing the phone to her ear, "Hello?"

She wasn't surprised when Duo snatched it out of her hand but didn't snap it shut, his violet eyes staring at her sternly and a bit angrily. So he was hiding something from her. At least now it was confirmed and she could send Dorothy out with this information to give it to their newly hired ally.

"I really would appreciate it if you didn't answer my phone.", Duo's voice was laced with aggravation and Relena was glad to have put it there.

"I'm sorry.", she said sheepishly, "I didn't mean to upset you."

Duo only sighed, not wanting to be bothered and he gently lifted her off of him, letting his hands take a gentle hold of her hips as she stood in front of him.

"You better get going before the stores begin to crowd. The last thing you need is to be recognized in a busy Banana Republic. Dorothy's good, but even crazed fans can be too much for her."

He didn't miss the sneer sent his way by the fork-browed woman and he only smiled up at Relena to cover up his satisfaction that his quip had hit a nerve on the silent bodyguard.

"Okay.", Relena agreed with him, "I hope your meeting with Sally goes well. I love you."

"Love you, too.", he was able to manage.

Satisfied Relena bent over to place a kiss on his lips, before she was sashaying out of the room victoriously with Dorothy in tow. Waiting so that he knew the two were long gone, Duo leaned back into the couch with a sigh, before he was lifting his phone to look at it. His eyes widened in disbelief as he realized that the phone had never been shut off and the call had never ended. Wufei had heard every word. Every. Last. Word.

He didn't hesitate to bring the phone to his ear and he listened but heard nothing but silence on the other line.

"Wufei?", he tried, but got no answer, "Wufei! Look you have to understand-"

He was stopped short by the little beep that signaled the end of a call and his shoulders slumped as he realized that this was the worse thing that could have happened.

"Shit.", he swore, wanting nothing than to fling his phone across the room.

Instead, he was flipping it open and calling the only person he could.

"Heero.", he was saying as soon as his call was answered, "I need you to book me a flight to New York and I need to leave as soon as possible."

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Trowa had watched as Wufei's face had fallen again, after he had just managed to perk him up. It wasn't what he had really wanted to do, but the taller man had convinced his friend to try calling his lover one more time.

Now he regretted it. He had seen Wufei light up, obviously finally getting an answer, before his face twisted into a frown of confusion. Obviously, someone other than the man had picked up. Then there was a few moments in which he could tell that the Chinese man was just listening and he almost wanted to tell him to put the cell phone on speaker phone. He didn't and he let Wufei have his privacy.

He had started to pay attention to the movie that they had been watching, when he saw his smaller companion stiffen as if he had just been struck. That got his attention and when he looked into ebony eyes, he knew that something horrible had happened.

It was a few moments before Wufei hung up, and that was after Trowa was able to hear someone on the other line calling for his attention. As the phone snapped shut, Trowa had no other choice but to prepare himself for what was bound to come.

Though the smaller man tried not to show it, he was an emotional person and his green-eyed companion was expecting the onslaught of tears he was sure to come. However, as Wufei turned around, he was met by dry eyes, which were dull and distant. He didn't know if he liked this any better than a crying Wufei, but somehow he felt that it was worse.

"Wufei."

The call of his name got his attention and the ebony-eyed book store employee looked to his friend, before he was fitting an empty smile on his face.

"Everything's fine, Trowa.", his friend told him, "He's just busy is all."

Trowa could see that Wufei was angry, as his knuckles were turning white, clutching tighter around the cellular phone. Any tighter and he was sure that the device would break in Wufei's hand.

"I didn't really ask anythi-"

He was cut short as he had to dodge out of the way of an unidentified flying object. It crashed behind the opposite wall a yard or so away from the back of the couch, shattering and falling to the floor in pieces.

Trowa looked behind him to find out what exactly had been tossed his way, and he realized that it was the cell phone. Then he was turning back to his friend, who was trembling with unbridled emotions, his eyes swimming with anger, hurt, and obvious despair.

"I didn't want to call him.", he heard Wufei mutter.

Then flaming ebony eyes were centered on him and Trowa knew that some of that anger was directed toward him.

"You pushed me to do it and I really didn't want to."

"Fei-"

"I didn't want to know!", Wufei snapped, interrupting him, "I already knew! I already. . . "

Trowa watched as Wufei's anger seemed to seep away, before the young man was falling to his knees on the carpeted floor.

Before his friend could start sobbing, Trowa had been beside him, his shoulder offered just in time. He felt worse than guilty as the smaller man clung to him, his body wracked with sobs he was trying desperately to stifle.

"I feel so stupid.", Wufei muttered, as he tried his best to stifle his sobs.

"You're not stupid, Fei, you're in love. As much as it hurts me to see you this why, I'd feel worried if you hadn't even batted an eye at what happened."

Wufei's only response was a sniffle, and Trowa gently rested a hand atop of the ebony locks, before he placed a kiss to his friends head.

"If anything, he's the one that's stupid.", the banged man was telling him, "After all he's gone through to be with you, he'd really just throw you away for the sake of the public's eye?"

"He's an actor, he could have been pretending.", Wufei pointed out, pulling away and wiping at his eyes.

"No, I think he's tired of pretending, but then again, I've never met the guy."

Green-colored eyes looked to Wufei, who was now standing and making his way to the couch, where he flopped down. The Chinese man sat silently, drawing his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around them. Trowa knew that he was contemplating, and he left him to his thoughts for the moment. It was really all he could do.

"What if he's been pretending with me?"

The question had Trowa frowning and he stood from the floor to place himself beside his best friend, elbows resting on his knees and hands folded. He didn't answer for a moment, as jade eyes stared off at nothing, his mind working around the question to search for the right answer.

Wufei waited patiently, knowing that Trowa would have something to tell him and sure that even if he didn't at first, he would make him feel better.

"Then he really is stupid.", Trowa began, his eyes still staring straight ahead, "If he did all of this just for the hell of it, if he used you for a thrill, and it all amounted to nothing, then he's stupid."

Greens eyes, with a mixture of smoldered anger and prominent concern turned to Wufei, whose still moist eyes looked back at him.

"And that means he doesn't and will never deserve you."

Wufei stopped to let that sink in. He could tell that his friend wasn't just trying to uplift his spirits, that the man honestly believed that Wufei deserved better if Duo was actually playing him. He couldn't help but feel relieved, though he was still hurting. Nonetheless, a small smile crept across his lips, which he offered to Trowa.

"Quatre's lucky to have you.", he told the taller man.

It took a moment for Trowa to relax again, but when he did, he returned Wufei's smile and reached out to rest a hand on his pal's shoulder.

"Yes, I know."

It took a bit of effort not to laugh as Wufei's smile fell, the Chinese man taking on an irritated look.

"You know that wasn't the response I was looking for.", he snapped, obviously miffed.

"Yes, but why deny the truth?"

Trowa was smart enough to stand from the couch, avoiding the hit to his head he knew was coming. With Wufei smiling again, he figured he could get to work with mending his breaking heart. There was no better way than with the dark-haired man's favorite comfort food.

"How about some ice-cream?", he offered, his hand reaching out to offer Wufei help, "We never did get dessert."

Wufei stopped to think it over, before he finally shrugged.

"You're right, we didn't.", he agreed, taking the offered hand.

He was pulled off the couch none too gently, nearly stumbling and he growled his irritation to the banged man, who only pretended as if it was completely an accident. Wufei just pretended that him stomping on Trowa's foot was an accident as well.

"You're buying.", he announced as they walked to the door, satisfied to see his friend limping, "And instead of ice cream, I know a place that serves good galub-jamun."

"Glaba what?", Trowa asked as they walked out the door, grabbing their coats on the way out.

"Just trust me. You'll like it."

Taking Wufei's word for it, Trowa followed with a shrug. At least he was able to distract him for the time being.

------------------------------

Zechs Marquise yawned as he stretched, standing from his desk that he had been seated behind all day. Today had been pretty boring and he was quite disappointed. Nothing seemed to be going on in the celebrity world, at least, not anything that he cared to focus on.

Well, his day had been wasted, and now it was time to head to his favorite lounge to kick back and relax. A good whiskey sounded good before he headed home.

With his computer shutting down, Zechs snatched up his box of cigarettes, realizing he'd have to buy another pack. It was a nasty habit that he should try to kick, but in his line of work, sometimes the nicotine fix was just what you needed.

Shaking loose a single smoke, he lifted it to his lips and lit it, enjoying the burst of tobacco from his first drag. His lighter went into his pocket and then he was removing his jacket from the back of his chair with one hand, while the other reached for his desk lamp.

Just as his finger touched the beaded string, his phone rang. He sighed, smoke flowing out to float about him as he exhaled, and he contemplated picking it up. He didn't have to, nor did he want to, but his hand reached for the phone anyway.

"Who is this?", he asked after another drag, his voice holding the tone of his aggravation.

He listened as the person on the other line turned out to be one of his assistants, and he leaned against the desk as the excited intern began rambling. He resisted the urge to yawn as the young man went on about Lindsay Lohan. What hasn't this girl done was the question that people should be asking.

"Yeah, Joe, I don't have time to waste. I'm going to be late and miss the waitress with an obvious oral fixation. Now what the hell did you want?"

He froze as Joe finally spilled the beans, and his mouth went slack so that he nearly dropped his dwindling cigarette. He made sure not to lose it by lifting a hand to take it from his lips.

The more Joe went on was the more his shock dissolved.

"Damn it, Joe! I thought you said we were watching him!"

He sighed as the intern started to hastily explain himself, the man obviously thinking he was about to be fired on the spot. Which, of course, Zechs was contemplating the thought. However, he had already been through ten interns this week, Joe was the last one they were willing to give him.

"Just calm down, already.", he ordered, begging to smoke his cigarette again, "There's nothing else we can do. It's not like you know where he's going."

He paused as Joe shyly muttered a reply to him, and he couldn't help the grin that took his face. Duo Maxwell was off for the Big Apple, eh? Not to mention that he only bought one ticket. This was intriguing.

"Joe, you know my travel agent, right?", Zechs questioned, putting out his cigarette, "Get a hold of Ethel and tell her I need the earliest flight to New York City that she can get me. Something's telling me that I'll find what I've been looking for there."

------------------------------

Dorothy walked into her employer's bedroom, not at all surprised to that Relena was in there alone. Unlike last time, she didn't meet the room in disarray or the woman in hysterics. In fact, Relena Dorian was calm and collected, if not indifferent to the situation, as she sat before her vanity mirror. It was new, since she had broken the last one.

She was slowly brushing out her hair, her eyes staring back at herself, but not exactly seeing anything. It was obvious that she was lost in her own thoughts. Thinking that she had not been noticed, Dorothy thought it best not to disturb her, and she turned to leave. She was stopped, however, by the question that the actress chose to bestow her with.

"Am I wrong, Dorothy, for doing this?"

He hand stopped and she slowly placed the brush down, before her blue eyes were looking up at her blond-haired guard through the mirror's reflection.

"Is it right to treat him this way, even though I'm hurt by what he's done to me?"

Slowly Dorothy turned to face her and Relena did the same, silently waiting for the woman's opinion. Dorothy wasn't sure how to answer her, and she kept quiet, hoping that Relena took the initiative to begin speaking again.

The actress did no such thing, and she kept quiet as her eyes seemed to pierce through Dorothy. The forked-brow woman could only swallow, finding it a bit difficult to do, and she looked away as her stomach knotted just looking at the Hollywood star.

Relena had never looked at her that way before.

"Ms. Relena. . .", she tried to begin, but could get no further than that.

"It's not like I wanted too much from him.", Relena began, looking away for the time being, "I just wanted him to love me. I thought that he did love me, but I was wrong. I just want him to know what it feels like to have that love ripped away from him. And I want whoever has stolen his attention to feel it as well."

Dorothy chanced looking back to the brownish-blond actress who had returned to brushing her hair. She had thought herself in the clear, when she was frozen in place as those deep-blue eyes locked on her again.

"You never answered my question, Dorothy.", she was reminded, and Dorothy could do nothing but stay silent.

"I think. . .", she began hesitantly, ". . .that only you know what should do. I do not like to you this way, Ms. Relena. All you wish to do to ease this hurt, I will not judge you. It will make me glad to see you happy again, by any means necessary."

She stopped then, watching as Relena stopped brushing her hair, and she had to wonder if she had said the wrong thing. If the actress had been looking for someone to set her on a different course, than Dorothy had failed.

A few moments later, and Dorothy's stomach was fluttering as the woman in front of her offered her a smile and a small laugh. Then the brush was lifted again, and held up in offering, Relena never turning to face her, but never breaking eye contact.

"Will you help me brush my hair?"

With a small moment of hesitation, Dorothy was stepping forward and taking the brush from slender fingers. With almost shaky hands, she carefully began running the brush's bristles through the dark-blond strands.

She worked slowly, letting her fingers feel the silky locks, knowing she may never get the chance again.

"Would you mind staying for dinner?", the actress suddenly asked, and Dortohy nearly dropped the brush.

She caught herself and returned to the task at hand, to try and cover up her shock. She wasn't sure what to say.

"You see, there's way too much for just me and since it's enough for two, I'll need someone else to help me eat it."

Dorothy was sure that Relena was feeling lonely, and it would probably do more bad than good if she turned the A-list actress down.

"I'll be happy to join you, Ms. Relena."

"Just Relena.", the woman insisted.

Dorothy only nodded and continued her task obediently. A few more moments of silence and Dorothy was looking to her employer again when she called her name.

"I'm glad that you're here.", Relena offered with a sad smile, her eyes misty, "Please promise that you won't leave me, as well."

Floored that Relena would ever suggest that Dorothy would abandon her, the light-haired woman stopped brushing so that she could place both hands on Relena's shoulders, giving them a gentle and comforting squeeze.

"You have my word, Relena, that I will never leave your side."

Come what may, she would stay for whatever would befall Ms. Relena next.

------------------------------

Wufei was violently pulled from his sleep by the violent knocking on his door. As he looked at the clock, he realized it was early morning, or late night, depending on how you saw it. With a groan, he turned over, hoping that whoever it was would just go away.

He jumped as he bumped into Trowa, having forgotten that his friend was still here. As he sat up, he sleepily made out the figure that lay snuggled up next to his best friend. Quatre had come over as soon as Trowa had never returned from picking Wufei up, (obviously fearing they had finally run of to together as he suspected they always would), and once finding out that the Chinese man had been dumped, had demanded they celebrate Wufei being on the market again.

That, in the blond's language, meant margaritas. So they had drank and laughed the night away, Wufei's two friends helping him get over things and the two bff's making sure that they let nothing slip to Quatre of just who Wufei's now ex was.

They had succeeded in distracting the blond's question with the offer of a movie rental off of pay-per-view, and of course it was a film starring none other than Hollywood's boy wonder. Wufei tried his best to ignore it, but the sight of violet eyes staring back at him from the screen was hard to push aside. Luckily for him, he was able to drown away his sorrows in fruity cocktails that Trowa kept making, upon Quatre's demand, of course.

Fully inebriated, and the movie finished, they found themselves snickering at gay porn, laughing at straight porn, and shuddering as lesbian porn was ordered on a whim. The tv was quickly turned off and their beds were sought after.

Being that Wufei had only one bedroom, it would seem there was only one bed. That didn't seem a problem to the intoxicated friends, who drunkly agreed to share. Ignoring Quatre's pleas to sleep in the middle, they literally fell into bed and was out before Quatre could warn Wufei to keep his hands off of his man.

Now he was awakened by hideous banging, which was doing nothing for the hangover that was slowly creeping up on him. Looking to his two friends, one snoring and the other drooling, Wufei deducted that they were out cold. That would mean he had to greet the late night visitor himself.

Lazily, he stumbled out of bed and dragged his feet down the hallway to his door. With his brain muffled by sleep and waning alcohol, Wufei didn't think to open the door with the chain as he usually did. His visitor took the chance of the door being unchained to push it open faster, and Wufei was stunned by the action.

He looked up ready to face the intruder, when his eyes widened and he seemed to go sober in two seconds flat.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Wufei backed away as Duo stepped forward, dropping his duffel bag carelessly before grabbing hold of the Chinese man and drawing him closer.

Wai. .. mmph!"

Wufei's objection was cut short as he was pulled into a kiss. It was a desperate kiss, but it was filled with so many emotions. It was passionate and it was rough, and it made Wufei's knees want to buckle. He kept his resolve though and even though he wished it could have gone on forever, he pushed Duo away, his black eyes glaring at the actor who dared to show himself on his doorstep.

"What the hell are you doing here?", he repeated again, his voice only barely quavering, "You have some damned nerve to actually show up."

"I had to see you.", Duo explained, stepping forward again.

He reached for Wufei again, but the man only pushed his hands way, taking a step back to distance between them again.

"Well, I don't want to see you.", Wufei told him, his frown deepening.

"Wufei, you don't understand.", Duo tried to explain.

"I understand well enough!', Wufei snapped at him, before his face was falling from it's frown, "How could I have been so stupid? Why did I think that things would turn out right?"

He shook his head with a bitter laugh, before saddened eyes were looking back up to the silent actor.

"I should have never started hoping for my own happily ever after.", he muttered, his voice weighed with hurt, "They only happen in stories."

"No, Wufei, don't do this.", the braided man pleaded, moving forward and grabbing Wufei before he could back away, "You couldn't be more wrong. I'll give you your happy ending, I want to. What you heard-"

His rambling was cut short as Wufei pushed him away, roughly, and Duo stood shocked that the man had done so.

The sound of the floor creaking alerted them that they were no longer alone, and both turned to find Trowa emerging from the hallway. His green eyes looked back and forth between them, before he centered his gaze onto the movie star.

With a yawn and a lazy scratch to his bare chest, since his shirt had been lost sometime during the course of the evening, he merely studied the actor now that he had the chance.

The braided man did the same to the new arrival, recognizing the gentleman from Wufei's picture at his bedside. He gave a bitter laugh of his own, his head shaking as he looked down to the wooden floor.

"I guess I've already been replaced."

Wufei's face changed to hold a look of confusion and Trowa merely snorted, walking forward with another yawn.

"Don't be stupid.", Trowa grumbled, his voice still riddled with sleep, "Well, at least, not any more stupid than you already seem to be,"

He outstretched his hand after the insult, waiting patiently for the bruised actor to take it. He stood in silence, merely waiting and soon enough the two were shaking hands.

"Trowa Barton.", he introduced himself, "No need to introduce yourself, I already know who you are."

"Right.", Duo said finally releasing his hand.

Trowa merely nodded, before there was silence again, the green-eyed man sighing as he looked to the floor. He seemed to be contemplating something and Wufei had a feeling that it couldn't be good. Scratching the back of his neck, Trowa looked up to Duo again, who stood there unsure of what to do or say, before he looked to his smaller friend.

"Forgive me ahead of time?", he asked, Wufei frowning deeper.

"Forgive you for what?", the Chinese man inquired.

"This."

Wufei could only gasp as Trowa spun to face Duo, and then successfully connected a right rook to the actors jaw, powerful enough to send him to the floor.

"Trowa, what are you doing!", Wufei screamed, not sure what the hell possessed the man to do such a thing.

"I feel better.", Trowa muttered to himself, shaking out his smarting fingers, before looking down at the actor, "That's for hurting him, and I promise you that if you ever do that again, I'll kill you next time."

As the actor cursed to no one in particular, hand cradling his jaw, Trowa bent over to hold out a hand for him.

"Come on, let's get you some ice for that. I know actors need their faces looking pretty, wouldn't do well to send you back to California with a swollen jaw."

Violet eyes glared up at him, and though he rather wanted to push the hand away, he grabbed hold of it, letting the man help him up.

Trowa stumbled as he was suddenly shoved and he turned to look at Wufei, whose eyes were burning up at him. He knew that this would upset his friend, but he felt it was something that had to be done.

"What is your problem? Are you insane! What the hell would possess you to do that!"

"It's alright.", Duo said, coming to his one-sided rival's rescue, "I deserved it. I think I'll take that ice now."

Completely disregarding his friend's presence, Wufei took to leading Duo to the kitchen, where he sat him down at the small table. Trowa was following behind them, his eyes watching Duo as Wufei moved about the kitchen.

"I'm so sorry.", Wufei apologized as he gently pressed ice to Duo's face.

It was wrapped in paper towel, as he didn't have any kitchen towel's available, but he was sure it would work all the same.

"Why? You weren't the one that hit me.", Duo reminded him.

"He should have."

With a short glance to the tall man, Duo turned back to Wufei, who was still fussing over him. He took the ice from Wufei's hand and flung it toward the sink, before he was taking hold of both of Wufei's hands.

The Chinese man froze, his eyes hesitating to look up, but finally forcing himself to. He wasn't sure how to describe what he saw reflected in those violet eyes, but he did know he felt his heart racing as he stared Duo in the eye. How could Duo affect him like this, even after all that happened recently.

"Fei, I just wanted to let you know, that what you heard, I didn't mean any of it. It's just that, I don't know how else to deal with her and I figured letting her hear what she wants is best."

"Letting her know the truth might not hurt.", Trowa put in his two sense.

Another glare was shot in his direction and he only shrugged, letting the actor take the floor again.

"Look, regardless of what I said, I don't love her.", Duo explained, "I didn't know what else to do, and when I realized you had heard me, the only thing I could think to do was come out here to find you."

"Driven by guilt I suppose."

"Look, do you mind!", Duo snapped, rising from the chair he had been sitting in and turning to face Trowa, "Can we get some privacy?"

"No.", was the flat toned answer, green eyes staring back at the braided celebrity.

"Trowa, please.", Wufei pleaded.

With a sigh, Trowa pushed away from the counter he had been leaning on and headed out of the kitchen. Wufei knew he was probably standing just outside against the wall, but he left it alone.

"Long story short.", Duo said once they were alone, knowing Wufei's friend was bound to interrupt again, "I came all this way, just to let you know that I love you. I'm sorry for what I put you through, what I may still be putting you through, and anything wrong that I've done. If there's anything that I can do to make it up to you, tell me and I'll do it."

Wufei pondered this for a long while, his eyes looking away as he thought things through. It was tough trying to make a decision. On the one hand, he was still upset about earlier and he had the urge to bruise Duo's other cheek and send him on his way.

Then again, he also wanted to give in and let Duo stay true to the words he had just spoken. It was a tough decision, but he pulled through. Reaching to the sink, he gathered the makeshift icepack and pressed it to Duo's swelling jaw.

"I want you to stop pretending, Duo.", he answered truthfully, looking to violet orbs again, "I want you to be true to yourself and true to us. No more lies and no more acting even after the camera's stop rolling. That's all I want. If you love me, then there shouldn't be a problem in doing that."

Duo stopped for a moment, seeming to have to think things through. Wufei patiently waited, knowing that Trowa was doing the same outside of the kitchen. After a small eternity, Duo finally looked up to Wufei, gently pulling him down so that the man was straddling his lap.

"If that's what I have to do to prove that I love you, then I'll do it."

He lifted a hand to caress Wufei's cheek, his thumb gently tracing Wufei's bottom lip. He had missed these lips out in Hollywood, and had been dreaming of the day he would get to return and kiss them.

"I love you.", he murmured softly, closing the distance between their mouths.

That was all it took for Wufei to melt and he eagerly fell into Duo's arms, his own wrapping about the man's shoulder as he let his tongue slip out to meet his lover's. He hated that he couldn't stay angry at this man, but he was grateful that Duo had finally relented. It felt good knowing that Duo had finally relented to his requests. He was sure that he shouldn't be so happy to break Relena Dorian's heart, but he was more concerned with his own.

At the moment it was racing, and Wufei's breath quickened as Duo drew him closer. They couldn't get far past heavy groping as Trowa had chosen that moment to walk in, casually taking in the scene in front of him.

"As happy as I am that you to have currently worked things out, but I do believe that you are making me sick." Wufei pulled away at Trowa's presence, breath panting as he slowly tried to stand, but Duo wrapped an arm his waist refusing him the right to do so.

"See, what did I tell you about the best friend thing?", Duo asked Wufei, "Now he's jealous."

"Not necessarily, but I thought I should warn you two ahead of time."

"Warn us of what?"

Wufei's question was answered as a blond shuffled in, one hand wiping drool from the corner of his mouth, the other wiping his eyes sleepily.

"What's going on?", Quatre asked them, "I woke up and you guys were. . ."

His words tailed off as sleepy eyes were suddenly wide awake and the size of saucers. Wufei cringed inside as he realized he had totally forgotten that Quatre was here, and that him and Duo in the same place wasn't a safe idea. And now that the obsessed fan had caught sight of his favorite actor, well, this couldn't turn out well at all.

"Oh. My. God."

Quatre wasn't the only one thinking that. This couldn't be good at all.

T.B.C.

I know I took a really, really long time, but I was doing the whole school thing, and finally vacation has come around. I hope this chapter was good, I have to go to bed now. I have work in the morning. Leave your reviews and I will be forever grateful.