This mission was fucked up, to be blunt but honest. If he continued following the original mission perimeters, he would be protecting Usagi-san from her current enemies, whoever they might be. However, her current enemies were his current allies. Plus, to be truthful, Usagi-san (or Hekate, as she now called herself; these gods placed too much value on names) was an enemy to herself. But he couldn't eliminate Hekate, yet, without eliminating Usagi-san as well. And as for the other former Gundam pilots. . . he knew they (well, most of them) wouldn't hurt Usagi-san, and Duo might be able to help turn Usagi-san back into her former self. But, at the same time. . . It was all getting to be too confusing for him. Was it any wonder that he was out here in the brisk air trying to sort all this out? Quatre and Trowa could handle Duo.

"Heero?" a female voice tremulously inquired. A small hand touched his arm.

Reacting without thought, he whirled, caught her hand, and slammed her against the wall, before he realized who this was. "Usagi-san?" The auburn hair was Hekate's, and since he'd never known Usagi-san to wear a mini-dress, the brief blue dress was Hekate's, but the expression on her face and the look in those big blue eyes, that was all Usagi.

"Gomen ne, Heero," she apologized, not even trying to free herself. Well, he wasn't letting her go until he knew it was safe.

"What are you doing out here, Usagi-san?"

"I came to find you, Heero. I needed to apologize for my actions today."

"Why are you apologizing to me? I'm not the one you shoved a sword through."

She winced and did not meet his eyes. "I know! But if I try to get close to Shin - eh, Duo, I might try to kill him again. Those are my orders. You know what I mean, don't you, Heero?"

"Hai. . ." Just how much had Duo told her about the war? "But if you manage to kill Shinigami, who's next? Wufei? Trowa? Quatre? Me?"

"No!" She shook her head emphatically. "I would never hurt you, Heero. I love you."

"Quit saying that. We both know you loved Duo till now. I'm just a replacement for him."

She yanked one of her arms free and put her slender hand on his cheek. "I don't know what you guys think, but I know exactly what Relena did to me. I don't remember too much from before then, but I know I've loved you as long as I've known you. Otherwise, I'd never be able to love you now."

He opened his mouth, to protest again probably, but she couldn't let such a golden opportunity pass by. She leaned closer and sealed her lips over his. There was something lean and desperate in the way he kissed her back, but it wasn't enough, not quite all she wanted, craved, needed. . .

Around the pair, a dark fog swirled. Hekate frowned into Heero's mouth and mentally told her boss, in no uncertain terms, to bug off; right now he was all hers and hers alone.

"Nande?" he broke the kiss to ask.

She shook her head and attached herself to him again, trying to pull that oh-so-familiar green tanktop out of his jeans one-handed. When he showed the slightest sign of pulling back from her again, she cast a small spell, sending tiny influencing tendrils of magick into his mind. She did such a good job with that casting that he didn't even seem to notice the dark alleyway literally melting away into a new scene until the sudden lack of a wall behind her caused them both to tumble over, landing on the soft hotel bed.

~ * ~ * ~

Stepping out of the shower, she shook her short hair out. A self-satisfied grin remained on her face, and she didn't even try to wipe it off. Snagging a couple towels, she wrapped one around herself and used the other to clean the fog off the mirror. The woman staring back at her - no, glaring back at her - had blonde hair. She grabbed a lock of her own hair and glanced up at it: still auburn, so what was going on? She didn't allow her shock to show on her face though and instead smiled evilly at the girl in the reflection. 'So why are you here?'

The shadow in the mirror faded back into her own reflection, and she scowled. 'Baka Usagi.'

She slipped back on her dress, struggling briefly with the zipper, gathered her boots, and slipped back into the bedroom. Unsurprisingly, Heero-sama was still out for the count. She smiled fondly at the sight, now that she'd proven to him that he did love her after all, and climbed over to sit on top of him. She leaned down close to his face and stated, "Heero-sama?" He stirred just a little bit. "Heero-sama, ask me anything and I'll do everything in my power to grant it."

Prussian blue eyes blearily opened but failed to focus. "I want Usagi back," was all he said before he passed back out.

A puzzled frown settled on her face as she climbed off the bed and teleported back to Relena-san's base, collapsing onto her own bed. 'What does Usagi have that I don't?' she wondered to herself. 'Why does Heero like her best?'

With a deep sigh, she summoned the only talisman she had left: a large silvery jewel. It shone for her, but not as it used to for Usagi. "Even you like her better," Hekate complained. "Well, holy Ginzuishou, what can we do about granting Heero's wish?"

3 February 2001
Countdown: 19 days till my birthday

Here's a little note to leave you guys with for Chapter Eight:
Just where does Hekate's loyalty lie? With Relena and Thanatos? Or with the two men she's loved?

Bai-bai!!