Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Counting the Seconds ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 6 )

From the Desk of Scilja

What more is there to say? Nothing much. The last chapter was very different, I know, but it does go with the plot line! Every chapter has a significant point in there, one way or another. See if you can figure each of them out :D.

I wanna give a shout out to a couple of special people who have been incredibly sweet with their reviews and have stuck by me: First and foremost, Wing <You're the best! Thank you for your insights and ever so thoughtful notes!>, sweetangel, animechick2487, and sexy vixen. U guys are the greatest! It will all blend together nicely sooner or later, just like a chocolate or vanilla milkshake...all creamy, and nice, and smooth, and...I'm hungry.

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DISCLAIMER: I don't have to tell you already. Now leave me be with my cookies!

Counting the Seconds

By Scilja

Chapter 6

Heero casually strolled through one of the many passageways of Z-Scape's lush and spacious gardens. He had a restless sleep the night before, his mind always being preoccupied with a fair female. Truth be told, he didn't know how to deal with the whole situation. What does one do when the past he thought was gone forever suddenly came around and bounced right back into his face? What's even more, it wasn't an unwelcome to him, but more of a glimmer of a second chance. In the back of his mind, he knew he couldn't let it go like it had done before; he was going to fulfill the missing gaps.

The early hours of dawn sped by him like a flash as he mindlessly passed through his daily rituals. Leaving his roommate to snooze away, Heero left his apartment to loosen up. So here he was, under the ginger colored morning sky, he placed his hands in his pockets and entered the outdoor pool deck.

Rounding about one of the patios, he was about to take a seat into a striped turquoise chair when a loud splash caught his attention. He turned his head towards the centre of the pool and saw some movement come about underwater. Having spent a few more seconds lingering on the unknown swimmer, he was able to make out that the figure was of female. It was when the individual emerged to the surface to catch a breath, Heero bowled over with surprise when the person who came into view happened to be the reason for his wandering.

He grabbed hold the frame of the chair to steady himself from hidden fervor. His eyes fixed on Relena as she waded to the edge of the pool's shallow end. With her in full view to him, zeal shot through his veins seeing that only a white one-piece swimsuit was dressed upon her slender body. 'Why is she wearing something like that around here?,' he scowled while scanning the area for any prying eyes. 'Then again, why do you care?' He was fighting an inner battle, 'Because there could be perverts around here!' His self conscious fought back, 'Oh, and you're not one of them?' He growled, 'Shut up!'

Apparently, she had not yet realized of his company because of her stunned appearance when she stepped unto the deck. 'Yikes,' Relena stared at the man in front of her, 'this was so unexpected.' The blonde ceased movement, 'Oh invisible spirits, do anything in all your powers to make me invisible!'

Despite her plea, her eyes had other plans as they roved over the handsome male in front of her. The view was far from disappointing. 'Why does he always look devilishly good? Why must I suffer?!' He stood there with a white button-down shirt that fit his broad chest and jeans that should never have been sold to someone with a lean figure like his for it was dangerous.

Heero would have smirked if he noticed the admiring stare he received, but he himself was trying to look anywhere but the front. Finding a towel nearby which he assumed belonged to her, he grabbed it and held it outwards. His cocked his head to the side, ruffled brown tresses shaded his eyes as he cleared his throat, "Good morning, Ms. Relena."

The subject of the greeting simply went motionless, not knowing which action to perform that would be suitable. A cool breeze hit her damp self and Relena knew she had to do something fast. The VP hesitated for a moment before reaching out for the towel, "Thank you, Mr. Y― Heero. A pleasure to see you here! How have you been?"

When her eyes leveled with his, Heero felt an invisible pull from the cerulean depths. He swallowed hard, "I should be asking you that question, Ms. Relena." For a short moment, he envied that towel that was gliding along her body. Right then and there, he would have traded anything to be that fluffy, white cloth. She shifted a little and allowed the towel to be draped across her shoulder, veiling a part of his view on her front. Now, he despised that towel.

"As you can see, I'm fine," she replied.

"How's your room?"

A breathless laugh escaped her rosy lips, "Beyond exquisite. Then it was too tempting not to resist this," she gave an outstretched arm to emphasize the vast pool and rich gardens surrounding her, "I had to admit, the first time I caught a glimpse of this yesterday, I have been having the need to experience it for myself."

'The need I have is much more,' he thought, and immediately he scolded his inner voice for being so blunt. He inadvertently took a fleeting look at the woman who was practically half-naked before him and mutely groaned, 'The next few weeks are going to be full of cold showers.'

The sound of constant beeping called for Relena's attention, "Excuse me for a moment, Heero." He nodded his understanding as she reached for her communicator on the glass table behind him. She flipped open the cover, "Darlian here."

The screen flickered until the image of a young man appeared, "Ms. Darlian, reporting for an update on sales account."

She adjusted the angle of the screen to level with the person she talked to, "I'm listening," she said and crossed her arms.

He cleared his throat nervously, "I just spoken with Mr. Lance Bishop of Reks. To put it bluntly…it didn't go very well."

Relena's gaze became stern and pressed on the subject, "Spit it out, Barnes, I do not plan for you to stop there."

The person on the other end squirmed uneasily in his chair and averted his eyes from her steady gaze. "He hasn't taken up on our offer." The words seemed rushed and forced.

Barnes' supervisor squinted her eyelids shut and sighed irritably, "Can you explain the reason 'why', Barnes?"

"I―"

She cut him off tersely, "Did you mention to him about the special offer we had on country music? If you had, Barnes, I'm sure he would have more than gladly taken up the offer and buy as many spots he could."

"I just didn't think―"

He jumped slightly as a loud crack resounded when she unexpectedly slapped her hand down on the table, "That's precisely my point, you weren't thinking." She bent closer to the screen and lowered her voice, "This is the second time in many weeks you have lead a client astray. Every time you pull off a stunt like this you are costing the company thousands of dollars."

Relena continued, "I want to make sure you understand this, Barnes. Our clients are extremely important to Dreask, and it is my job to make sure they are tended to with the respect and value they equally deserve. To put this in other views, your report gets through me, and then it goes to Chaucer. So whenever you screw it up, it makes this look bad on my side and from there it gets plain ugly. Do you catch my drift?"

"Uh, yes."

Her stance did not waver one bit as she said, "What's the problem?" In truth, she did not really want to know what the problem was, rather than to hear him recite it.

He shifted awkwardly and gave her a hopeful look, "You see, I've been having trouble with this girl…"

Again, Relena interrupted, "Spare me the details about your girl problems, Barnes! I do not care about the current interest in your love life unless it relates with the work you are doing." She stressed the next words, "This is your last warning, Barnes," he recoiled from her glare, "I will review your sales report when I get back. I expect a vast improvement with Mr. Bishop and shaping up on your part as well. For now, do yourself and me a favor and get your head together. Got it?"

"Ok."

"Good," she stood to full height before she shut off the terminal, "Straighten up, Barnes."

With a click the image from the screen disappeared. Relena gave Barnes her sympathy; he had been heartbroken over a woman who worked among his floor when she dumped him for another man. She wished she could console him rather than complicate his life even further. But she couldn't afford that, especially since she was a woman holding down a man's job and everyone more or less expected her to slip up one time. So for her job's sake, she put aside all sensitive matters and exchanged it for pure professionalism.

"Trouble in paradise?" Heero asked. He was impressed with the way she conducted herself. She was direct and firm, and confident of what she was saying. She proved her worth that she knew how to take control and keep it that way.

She was engrossed in the conversation with her employee that she had almost forgotten about Heero's presence. "Just fixing things up so the monkey doesn't slip on his own banana peel again," she replied.

"You handled that well."

"Thanks, I do what I can."

She went to different matters at hand. Her eyes glazed with unknown emotion and she lifted a hand to touch her lips, "You know, Heero, I believe this is one of the finest hotels that would no doubt do extremely well." She congratulated him sincerely, "It is obvious enough that all your effort and time spent on this project were certainly not wasted and will be most rewarding. I am not surprised that ZW Enterprises stands as one of the most successful corporations in the world. It is an utmost pleasure to be promoting Z-Scape."

"You have earned it, Relena," Heero commented, "Dreask has proven itself worthy enough and is progressing very well. I know I will not be disappointed." This earned him a small grin of satisfaction from the woman and in turn, Heero was filled with a warm feeling just to see that reaction. He straightened his posture a bit and inserted his hands into his pockets, "With that aside, when are you available for a meeting discuss about the plans for the advertisement?"

Her head nodded instantly at his declaration, having almost forgotten the true reason she was here in the first place. 'No time to keep your head up in the clouds,' she mentally reminded herself, 'You may be on vacation, but you still have your priorities.' "Of course, Heero, by all means, anytime at all would be no problem with me."

"How does tomorrow sound? We can discuss it after lunch at the meeting hall on the ground floor," he suggested.

"Tomorrow it is," she nodded in approval. Delicate fingers curled around the towel edge and pulled it more towards her body as she prepared to bid farewell to Heero, "It was a pleasure seeing you again, Heero." She shook his hand before turning to her side and said over her shoulder, "I will see you tonight at the gala. Until then, enjoy your day!"

For the next few minutes, he simply stared in admiration of how graceful she walked away; painfully reminding himself that he wasn't with her anymore.

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes watched at the scene before her, sparking madly at the retreating woman.

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"These clothes are making a mockery out of me!" Hilde huffed after she scanned the many garments that hung in her closet. Frustrated at the dresses, or lack thereof, she placed her hands on her hips, "Humph, and men think they have it easy."

Letting out an irritated sigh, she stepped back and turned her head to the form lying reverse on one of the beds. A fine brow rose at her friend's idleness, "Unless you're done, Rel, it would be amusing to see how you'd prep yourself in seconds for the big ball."

"I am doing something." With eyes still looking up at the ceiling, the owner of the voice raised both hands in the air and fanned them open for Hilde to look at, "I'm drying my nails."

When Relena made no attempt to move from her spot, Hilde strolled near the edge of the bed and bent forward to come eye to eye with her roommate, "What's up?"

"The ceiling, the chandelier, the roof, the sky, the―"

"I get it," Hilde cut in. She leaned back to allow Relena some space as she slowly pushed herself off the bed to sit up. "I spoke to Heero this morning."

"And?"

The sly tone in Hilde's voice earned her a suspicious glance from Relena sent her way, "It's not what you think," she went back to focus on the ceiling. "He planned for a meeting tomorrow afternoon to get started with the project." Hilde didn't know whether she plopped back down on the bed due to fatigue or deliberation, "Spoken with Duo lately?"

She crossed her arms, "Yeah, discussed with him just the basic layout, the contract, and our part of the deal the other day already. All set to go really, just say the word."

A small smile played on Relena's lips, "'Could always count on you, 'ya know?"

In response came a proud scoff, "I know it," she caught a pillow that was shot at her direction, "No pillows! Don't ruin the perfection before you!"

Relena rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say."

The mood turned more profound when Hilde asked, "What happened the other night?"

The figure on the bed little by little turned to her side and faced the speaker. The laugh that escaped her lips was forced, "I made a fool of myself in front of the world's most respected business confederates ever. It was a moment that any media would kill to get."

Hilde was not satisfied with the answer for she pressed on, "For once I'm serious, Rel."

A blank expression appeared on her face while she casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You and serious equals the end of the world," Relena replied theatrically.

"It seemed like the end of the world the way you were."

"Since when was it wrong to be worried?"

"I'm worried right now."

After a silent moment, Hilde patiently waited for a response, but was not expecting the one that came next, "I dreamed of my family."

Having known Relena for a long time, she was aware of her secretive past. Relena wasn't one to speak much of her family and relatives; in fact she was lucky enough to grab even a little information about it. It was a sensitive topic and Hilde would not be persistent on the matter. After all, it was her own choice whether she wanted to talk about it or not.

The blonde reached behind to grab a pillow and delved her head in for small comfort, "I saw everyone again." Cerulean eyes looked back at her with hooded lids, "Papa and Mama were there, and so was Milli. I even had a butler and maids." A wistful look shone on her face as she revisited the fantasy, "Milli was pushing me against a swing, higher and higher into the sky. Mama and Papa were watching over us as we played. I felt so safe, so secured. We were very happy." Her voice was gradually faded, a sign that she did not intend to continue her reverie.

Attempting to break the tension, Hilde cracked a smile, "Did you say 'hi' to them for me?"

She got her answer with a wink and a grin, "Of course."

Taking the followed hushed atmosphere as an opportunity, Hilde nonchalantly added, "I heard Trowa is going to be attending at tonight's festivity."

This caught the VP's attention, "What?" The previous speaker confirmed the statement with a nod. "I haven't seen him in so long," she breathed a sigh as she remembered her old friend. "I wonder how he's holding up."

"Don't wonder, dress now." The sound of hangers clinking together and clothes ruffling brought Relena back up to an upright position before having two garment presented to her right before her nose. "So, what'll it be," Hilde weighed each one on her hand, "Red or blue?"

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The chattering of men and women were like distant murmurs around him. A few representatives from various companies and organizations surrounded him, questioning and prying for answers to his continuous success like hungry reporters. Now and then he would pitch in his own words, but behind them were empty opinions. He did not care for this kind of crowd; they were just in for the goodies and treats. Shrugging off his admirers, he set off on his own, and his thoughts focused elsewhere.

A friendly yet strong hold on the shoulder brought him back to earth, "Hey, bud! Enjoying so far? Man, I'm telling 'ya, some people have their underwear way too tight for comfort."

Heero sent an irritated look at the hand that still held his shoulder and then to the jovial face, "Thinking about underwear? I wonder what you have been up to nowadays."

Duo lifted his hand off with an amused expression and smirked, "Wouldn't you like to know, Yuy?" He chuckled at the glare the CEO gave him. Cobalt eyes scanned among the crowd and frowned slightly, "What a drag. Not one decent person among the stuffy lot of them." He let out a trite sigh, "This could get ugly."

"Is that so? I hope I don't add to that."

The ZW associates recognized the familiar voice and turned to the speaker. Duo immediately brightened at the sight of a pair of eyes smiling back at him. He gave a heartfelt slap against the blonde man's arm and laughed, "Hey, Quatre! Man, you are a sight for sore eyes anytime!"

"It's been a while, Duo," he returned the greeting. Quatre bowed politely to the right and acknowledged the other man, "Evening, Heero." He was rewarded with a tilt of the man's head as a sign of salutation. "You have outdone yourself once again, Heero," he continued, "this hotel is exquisite and beyond comparison."

"The credit is to all who took part into it, not just mine," Heero replied.

Quatre was pleased with the answer, and was relieved to know that even with all the incoming success his friend had not been fazed by the glitz and glamour. Heero had always been strong.

"What have you been up to anyway, Quatre? Where have you been hiding yourself?" came the braided man's keen question.

"I've been traveling a quite a bit and checking up on the franchises," he answered, "I'm planning to settle down for a while now, but at the same time, I will be keeping an eye on everything."

The Marketing Producer shook his head amusingly at the young man's proclamation, "No way, Quatre. Time off means time off, the package includes away from work and all that."

Quatre was just about to reply and instead gaped when a feminine pair of arms came out of nowhere and wrapped around Heero's waist from behind. Immediately, Heero came to a defensive stance and then stilled when a breathless voice tickled against his ear, "Surprise."

The other two men watched as a stunned expression flit across Heero's face when he looked over his shoulder. The red haired woman wore a self-satisfied grin, "Hey there, sexy."

Duo frowned in disgust upon seeing the woman, 'No, no, no! What da hell is she doing here? I thought we left her behind!' His fist clenched to suppress his rage. He had not the least bit liking to the broad in front of him.

Months ago, he had always been pestering Heero to go on a date and live for once. Later on, he bit back his words when he saw Heero return with an incredibly stuck-up bimbo that clung to him for dear life. He knew that she was only in on the whole deal because Heero was everything, good-looking, wealthy…and wealthy. Being the gentleman he was, Duo kept his yap shut for the first time around, thinking this was only a one-time thing. However, as the weeks went by, she just kept on coming back. He loathed people like her, an empty shell that put on acts to get what they want. He knew Heero shared the same views he had, and he hoped there was still some of that sense left within him.

"Cheryl," Heero unwillingly acknowledged the speaker and shook off the arms that held him.

The woman rounded her captive to meet his face, languidly dragging her arm across his chest in an enticing manner, "What's wrong, darling? Aren't you glad to see me? I traveled all the way just to see you," she replied in a sing-song voice.

As soon as she said that, a snort came from Duo, earning him a nudge from Quatre as a reminder of politeness. Heero's so-called admirer twirled her head around and sneered at him. "Oh, Maxwell, I didn't notice you there," she turned her nose up and went back to her business. He really wanted to strangle that neck of hers.

He watched Heero's face twitch from the path Cheryl's manicured finger traced across his jaw, "Not much of a talker tonight, huh? You must be tired, hun." If possible, she pressed herself up against him even more, "Why don't we leave this dump early and slip into something more comfortable, hmm?"

Heero was definitely not expecting the appearance of La Veur. He knew women like her and their intentions, and tonight this was something he did not need. He knew he was a symbol of wealth and power, the kind of husband greedy parents or women wanted to get to new heights in society. This was the main reason why he did not favor dating, considering most of the female population was shallow and narrow-minded. At this point, he wanted to be anywhere but in Cheryl La Veur's sight.

TBC…