Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Never Again! ❯ Chapter 7

Never Again! By Kuno-baby

Chapter 7

"It's adorable. What should we name him?" Relena asked Heero as she rubbed her new kittens belly. Laying on the floor of the study, the two of them looked after the tiny creature. Just weaned from its mother, Noin had delivered the little bundle two hours ago. A stray cat, now dubbed Inky for it coal black fur, had delivered her set of five kittens behind the Peacecraft home. Noin took one of the kittens and the mother, while the rest have been given away.

"It's your pet. What do you want to name him?" Heero asked, watching as she cuddled the thing. Unlike it's mother, it was all white except for a grayish spot on it's left ear. It had been love at first sight for Relena and he smiled watching her fawn over it.

"Snow? Nah, that's so common. How about Angel?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders as she listed names. Never having a pet, he didn't have a clue. In fact he thought people used ridiculous names for their animals. She grinned at him as she dropped the kitten lightly in his lap. It immediately started climbing up to his chest, sinking tiny sharp claws into him. He said nothing, just looked down while it did it.

"He likes you, Heero." she giggled, grasping Heero's right hand so he could support the kitten underneath.

Heero grunted at that, but inwardly smiled. He stroked the soft fur and the kitten purred.

"Octavio! That's his name." Relena suddenly shouted, a huge smile on her face.

Heero lifted a brow over the name. "Why Octavio? And where did you come up with that name."

"When I was little, I asked for a pet and my parents said no. They said it was too much responsibility, so my friend Celeste had a dog I would play with named Octavio. She told me we could share him. I loved that dog." Relena sighed.

"Then Octavio it is. I guess he looks like an Octavio." Heero said. Relena laughed and picked the kitten up and hugged him under her chin. He was a new part of her unusual family.

Later that evening, Relena proclaimed she would cook dinner for the night in celebration and gave the cooking staff the night off. Heero worriedly turned to Pagan.

"Can she cook?" he quietly asked the elderly butler.

"She's only done it a handful of times, but yes, she can. Don't worry, if it turns out to be a disaster, I have a Chinese take out place on speed dial." Pagan whispered, before hightailing it out of there to his room.

After shooing Heero away from the kitchen, Relena washed her hands and pulled out her ingredients from the humongous refrigerator. She would be making her world famous to her, chicken and broccoli casserole. It didn't take long to get into the process of it, and after cleaning and seasoning her chicken, she started cutting them into small bit size pieces on the cutting board.

"You bitch! You think you can stab me and get away with it. I've been too lenient on you, Lena. Well, no more! I love you! How dare you treat me this way?" Davis screamed at the top of his lungs.

Relena sped up her chopping as she tried to push that memory way.

"Look at me! You could have killed me, Lena. You've been a naughty girl. And naughty girls get spanked!" he snarled, putting one hand up to his newly bandaged neck. He raced toward her and pulled her ankle chains, dragging her roughly across the floor.

"Bastard! Get off of me!" Relena yelled, kicking as violently as she could with the heavy weight of the chains weighing her down.

He flipped her on her stomach and sat on her and spanked her bottom like she was a child. Slapping harder and harder, Relena cried out in pain. Even as a child, she'd never been disciplined in such a manner. In between the spanking, the hitting became more violent as spanking turned into closed fist punching. The impact of his punches took her breathe away and she bit her lip trying not to cry out. He kept on until his hand got tired and she was bruised all over her backside.

Relena kept up her chopping and chopping and chopping. The knife loudly striking the cutting board repeatedly raised Heero's curiosity as he sat playing with Octavio.

"You made me do that. I didn't want to, Lena. You shouldn't be bad and make me get upset. I'm sorry baby." David said, getting up and rolling her over. He had driven out all his anger and frustration out on her.

Relena grimaced in pain as tears flowed from her closed eyes. She tensed when he brought her up into his arms and kissed her wet cheeks. He softly comforted her and told her he loved her.

"Tell me you love me, Lena. Tell me." David commanded, rubbing his cheek against her head and tightly holding her close.

Relena turned her head and leaned as far away as she could. But that only made him drag her back and cruelly tighten the grip.

"Tell me, damnit!" he screeched into her ears, causing her to flinch.

"I-I love y-you, David." she sobbed.

"Relena, is everything all right in there?" Heero yelled from study entrance, snapping Relena from her musing.

She looked down in surprise to see she'd sliced the chicken so much it was barely recognizable. All was left was a heaping pile of scraps. She left go of the knife and sighed. "Everything's fine. It'll be ready soon." Relena yelled back.

She picked up what was left of the chicken and added it to the broccoli anyway. Heero wouldn't know the difference. No one would.

*************

Once Relena met her new psychiatrist, they had immediately clicked. Dr. Lauren DePaula was her name and since she was recommended by Une, they called her up. No nonsense and blunt, she'd told the family, they were more than welcome to check her out, but interfere in her sessions and it wouldn't end well for them. They'd all been introduced before any therapy began. After the last fiasco, everyone wanted to get to know the woman before she was allowed to handle Relena's care.

Milliardo, Noin, Heero and Relena were being taken step by step through the introduction by Lady Une, who volunteered as a go between. Although Heero and Milliardo had already gone over her impressive records, her treatment of Relena was what counted.

She was a tall African American woman, closer to Milliardo's height. Looking young enough to be in her early thirties, Heero found out she was actually forty-nine years old. She was very professional, but warm to her patient. Not even Heero's glaring and questioning on her practices hadn't fazed her. In fact she'd called him on it.

"Young man, I suggest you remove that look off your face when staring at me. I understand your concerns, but I am not a child to be talked down to. I have clothes in my closet older than you and I'm an ex-Marine, so you don't want to be ticking me off." Dr. DePaula said, narrowing her eyes back at his silent challenge.

Everyone had blinked at that and she instantly won over Milliardo. She'd then promptly kicked them all out of the room except for Relena. Heero had protest loudly, but calmed down when Relena overruled him and agreed to it.

"Now Relena, I've been over your situation and the last treatment your old psychiatrist gave you. I'd like an honest answer. Are the medications working for you? Do you feel a change?" Dr. DePaula.

"I don't feel sad all the time and I haven't had any more violent episodes." Relena lied, not mentioning the incident when she attacked Heero or when she cooked.

"Relena, I know a lie when I hear one. I have been doing this for years. Now please tell me honestly, what you have been feeling?"

Relena was weary to trust another doctor with her problems. But she answered truthfully this time and told the other woman what had happened since Dr. Grimes had left.

"Have you ever heard of post traumatic syndrome?"

Relena nodded her head yes. "Isn't that what happens to people who have fought in wars?"

"Yes, but not just in wars. People who have endured a horribly stressful situations can sometimes be traumatized because of it. Violent reactions, hallucinations, depression. Any number of adverse effects. You are a prime example. You were held captive and abused. You had to survive anyway you knew how and you did." the psychiatrist said, folding her hands in her lap as she sat across from Relena.

"I killed a man." Relena said.

"I've been told." Dr. DePaula answered.

"It's hard to trust another psychiatrist." Relena said, looking the woman in the eye.

"I will work to earn your trust. It's your decision. I'm here to listen and help you through. I don't do hypnosis, I just listen. But I won't coddle you either. You have serious issues you need to try to work through before you can be taken off medication. I'll be completely honest. At this time and from your progress, you will have to stay on antidepressants for an indefinite period of time." Dr. DePaula replied

Relena exhaled loudly and gave a small nod. "I thought as much. Thank you, Dr. DePaula. I would like to schedule an appointment with you again."

"That's fine." Dr. DePaula graciously said. And the two women stood up to shake hands.

After she'd left, everyone came back in and asked Relena how it had gone. Heero was very anxious over the answer.

"I like her." she said. And that was that.

***********

Two weeks later the yelling from the Peacecraft's bedroom was hardly peaceful to the staff.

"No. She's still recovering. I'm sorry, but that is the end of this conversation. Good day." Milliardo stated, cutting the vid-phone line.

"They can't be serious? Are they that childish they can't handel their own problems without Relena?" Noin snapped angrily.

The couple had been fuming since upon the announcement Relena was 'back from her hospital stay,' representatives called for Relena to step back into her Vice Foreign Minister role. Her kidnapping had been kept a closely guarded secret that only family, close friends and certain members of the Preventers knew of. Thinking she'd be found quickly, Milliardo had covered for her first saying she was on vacation, or she was sick, but that excuse only had legs for a short time. Months went by before he'd taken over her position citing, he would work in her stead while she recovered from her illness. The media had commented on the switch but could never find any evidence of a bigger story, something that Milliardo and Noin were thankful for.

"They are like lost children. They don't know what to without her holding their hands." Milliardo groused.

"Unfortunately you can't make the decision for her. If she decides to go back to work, you can't stop her." she replied as they sat in bed.

"I know." he said. The job had been stressful and rewarding to him, but he'd had a new respect for a young woman not even being old enough to drink, commanding men twice her age.

************

"No." Relena said. She rolled over in bed and turned to face him.

Heero was surprised but thrilled with the answer. She was turning down the offer to return to work. Her priorities had understandably changed. She wouldn't be a workaholic after just getting her life back.

"Why? Not that I don't think it's the right choice." Heero said, sitting up leaning his elbow on his pillow.

"I can't be making decisions that important if I'm not as I should be. I don't want to become a mindless drone using work as an excuse for my empty life." Relena replied.

When Heero took her hand and kissed her fingers, Relena smiled happily. Since they had become intimate, their bond was even closer than before. He had come a long way with his feelings and didn't pull away from public displays of affection anymore. Although he wasn't screaming his love from the rooftops, she knew he loved her.

"But most of all, I wasn't happy anymore in the position. We have established peace. I don't want to be a symbol of it anymore. I want a life again. Is that selfish?" she asked.

"No it's not. Your well being is my only care. I'm glad you said no." Heero said.

Heero bent to kiss her when he heard a low irritated growl between their bodies. Pulling back the covers, there lay a very miffed Octavio. Giggling, Relena lifted her kitten up to her chest before leaning close to try to kiss Heero again. He chuckled in return and they laid down to sleep with their new "baby" between them.

Thanks to all my reviewers. They make me so happy!! I've almost quit this fic twice in frustration, but the fact people are actually reading this, keeps me going. Next chapter Relena finds out David still has some alive kin and they want answers to his death. And Heero decides a life altering decision. Toon in next time!