I do not own Gundam Wing.

Okay, I know I said I wasn't going to post this story until I was done with The Champions, but I'm having some trouble with that story, and this one, well, it's just coming to me. And I've learned to never mistrust my muse, or my inner-writer. So...here it is. The sequel to Endless Nightmare.

CLAW OF THE RAVEN

Chapter One: A Dove in Arms

Thunder shook the massive windowpanes, rattling them in their solid frames. Lightning zagged across the dark heavens, illuminating them in errant fashion. Relena Darlian sighed and set aside the documents she had been trying to decipher. This was too much distraction, and she should've been sleeping hours ago. Tomorrow she had to attend a meeting about the outbreak of terrorist attacks. Unable to sleep and bored, she slipped from her bed and padded on light feet over to her balcony doors. It had yet to begin raining; she smiled and slid outside, the doors closing behind with a faint click.

The wind was coming up, tossing her honey-blonde hair about her slender shoulders. Relena leaned against the railing and breathed in the heavy scent of rain. Soon. Soon it will rain and make everything fresh and new again. She gazed down upon the gardens, her gentian eyes narrowing as she saw a shadowed figure moving through them. The sky darkened again and she waited for another lightning flash to look for the mysterious person. When the light came again, the person was gone. Relena felt a sliver of trepidation pierce her heart and she backed away from the rail.

She hurried back to the doors and pulled, her eyes widening with shock and then panic as they refused to budge. She pulled harder, struggling with the silvered handles. Drops of rain, icy and big, began falling, almost soaking through her thin silk robe and pajamas at once. Relena banged on the doors, a frantic rush of panic taking over her. She gave in to it, screaming for help in a high, frightened voice. Where is everyone? Where is Heero? She screamed again, feeling like the flashy darkness was closing in on her, attempting to drag her down and drown her with the gales of windy rain.

And then the doors were flung open and her boyfriend/bodyguard scooped her into his iron arms and carried her inside, kicking the glass-paneled doors closed. Heero Yuy took her over to her bed and sat down, caressing her cheek with a gentled hand. "Shh, koibito. It's alright, now." She was breathing hard, her face pale, her body trembling. Heero held her tight, kissing her wet head. He knew he needed to get her into something dry, but first he wanted her calmed down.

Her bedroom door opened and Chang Wufei stepped in, frowning. He approached the bed, his hard gaze softening a little. "I shut the alarm system off. What happened?"

Heero shifted, moving Relena more into his lap. "She got locked out on the balcony."

"I see." The Chinese agent looked around the big bedroom. He noted the papers strewn about her bed and reached down to pick one up. The terrorist conference. No wonder she wasn't sleeping. He let out a low sigh and put the document back down. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, just shaken up." Heero shook her a little to get her attention. "Relena, look at me." She picked her head up from his chest and gazed at him. "Why were you out there?" he asked, noting she was calming down at last.

"I was bored, and I wanted some fresh air," she said, her voice steady. "I forgot that they lock at night now." The mansion's security measures had been stepped up since her kidnapping six months earlier.

"Why did you panic?" Wufei asked, causing her to look up at him. She saw that he was just concerned for her, not angry or upset.

"I, I saw someone down in the gardens, and I just, I...I'm sorry." Relena lowered her head, feeling stupid and foolish now.

"It's alright," Wufei assured her. "But who did you see?"

"I don't know."

Heero looked up at his friend and teammate, a gleam in his Prussian eyes. "Come on. We need to do a sweep." Wufei nodded and turned away, heading for the door. Heero touched his girlfriend's cheek. "Stay here and keep away from the windows. I'll be back."

"Be careful. Both of you," she said, sliding out of his lap. He nodded, standing and reaching for his Magnum.

"Get out of those wet clothes, too." Heero gave her a quick kiss before following Wufei, who had waited at the door. "Let's move." The Chinese agent nodded and together they strode down the hall, both presenting a formidable force. Wufei had pulled his sidearm as well and was now speaking into his radio. He listened for a moment, then glanced at Heero.

"Agent Miller said they haven't seen anyone unusual."

"If Relena says she saw someone, she saw someone." Heero's Prussian orbs were frosty, and his voice was cool. Wufei shrugged.

"You want backup?" he asked, his tone casual.

"Not yet." They continued down the hall and on to the winding staircase. Everything seemed in order; the three other Preventer agents were in place, and the security system was second to none. Heero went outside, ignoring the menacing storm. Wufei followed and they split, going around the mansion in opposite directions. Heero was tense, cautious, reaching to flip his chocolate bangs out of his eyes.

They met in the gardens, both frustrated. Wufei looked up toward Relena's window, judging about where she might have seen the intruder. A faint wink of shiny plastic met his dark eyes. "Heero." The Japanese agent turned and hurried to Wufei's side. "Take a look." Heero took the small device, glaring at it as he turned it in his sure hands. "Backup?"

"Yes." Heero kept the device and turned for the mansion. "And make sure you call Duo first," he called back over his shoulder. Wufei did not respond; Heero didn't expect him to, either. The Chinese ex-pilot knew the drill.

The phone shrilling at 2:36 AM brought Duo Maxwell out of a very pleasant dream and sent him scrambling for the annoying noise. He tripped out of bed, falling to the floor and cursing, then got up and grabbed his cell off the dresser. "This better be good," the usually-happy American growled when he answered.

"The mansion. Now." Wufei hung up; nothing else needed to be said. Duo swore again and flipped on a light. He dressed with practiced quickness; this wasn't by far the first middle-of-the-night call, and grabbed his Magnum and the Glock he had begun carrying in a shoulder holster two months before. He glanced at his watch and ran out to his car. He could tell certain things by the tone of Chang's voice; time was unknown, there was a possible bomb, and they needed him four minutes ago. Duo punched the gas.

Relena had changed into jeans, a T shirt, and a sweatshirt, an as an afterthought had pulled on her sneakers. One could never be sure what was going to happen, or if she'd have to be moved. The September storm was beginning to calm, but the rain still beat upon the big windows, and she shivered. Getting up to pace again, she glanced toward the balcony. Where is Heero? Did they find something? Her bedroom doorknob twisted; she spun around, heart racing. Heero had locked her in to be safe, but he and Wufei had a key. This person didn't.

She backed away, hands twisting together in nervousness. The conference on terrorism flashed into her mind. Eight politicians had been killed in the last six months, and 10 more injured. Relena sucked in a breath when she heard the person begin throwing their weight against the door. There was nowhere to run, nowhere good enough to hide. She turned in a slow circle, searching for something to use as a weapon and spotted a glint beside her bed, against the plush navy carpet.

Heeros' gun. Well, one of his guns. Relena hurried over to take it, the heft of the sidearm giving a sense of security. She'd never fired a gun before, but she would if she had to. The door was giving way, and she held the gun up, swallowing hard. Ha. I bet no one would believe this: the Dove of Peace holding and preparing to fire a gun. The pretty young woman paused then. What am I doing? I am a Pacifist! She began to lower the gun when the door flew open.

Heero entered the mansion and started jogging toward the staircase when he paused. Something wasn't right. His Prussian gaze swept the area...and he ran forward, across the foyer and into the living room. Agent Mike Miller was dead, a small wound through his forehead. Heero swore; the intruder had breached his security system. Relena! "Wufei, Miller's dead. Get in here," he called into his small radio mike as he turned for the stairs.

"Coming." Wufei had completed his call list and charged for the mansion. Duo would be arriving momentarily, and the others wouldn't be far behind. He entered the same way Heero had and stopped, obsidian eyes glittering. In the shadows of the hallway that led to the massive kitchen he could make out a shape. His sidearm up he advanced, silent, a killer intent on his prey. When the shape shifted he dropped to one knee, aiming. "Come out," he demanded, voice hard and wary.

"H-Help...me," the shape said, staggering forward only to fall before him. Chang swore rapid-fire in his native tongue; Agent Wesly Minor had been stabbed. Wufei moved forward, still wary, and felt for his pulse. It was weak, but there. Pulling off his Preventers jacket he pressed it to the man's wounds and took out his cell. They needed an ambulance.

Heero ran up the stairs and rounded the corner for Relena's room. He saw a man pushing on the door and sprinted, a swift messenger of death. The door gave way and the intruder bolted inside, only to come face-to-face with a .45, a petrified Relena holding it. The man smiled and raised his own gun, finger beginning to squeeze the trigger. Relena took a step back and the .45 went off, scaring her. She screamed as the man stepped forward, a frown on his face. Then he fell, a clean hole to his chest. Relena backed away. "No, no, no..."

Heero rushed in, .357 up and steadied, and stopped to stare. His girlfriend held his .45 and was shaking her head, repeating the word "no" over and over. Her assailant was dead. "Relena." Heero moved toward her, holstering his gun as he went. She had her eyes closed, and was shaking her head, her face alabaster. "Relena. It's alright, koishii. Relax," he said, gentling his tone. Her gentian eyes blinked open and she stared at him. Heero saw the pleading, the fright, and felt immediate anger, towards both her attacker and himself. If he had been more careful, or had reacted quicker, this wouldn't have happened.

"H-Heero. Is he, is he dead?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"Let me have the gun, honey," he told her, reaching for it. She nodded, letting him take it. She watched as he bent and lifted his pant leg, placing the gun into a holster strapped to his strong calf. Straightening, he looked at her for a moment. "Are you hurt?" he asked, running his blues up and down her.

"I'm okay. Is he dead?" she asked again, her heart thundering. Heero stayed silent for a few moments. "Heero."

"He is, Relena. But it was self-defense. He would have killed you," he said, stepping close to take her shoulders. She looked down, shaking her head.

"No. You would have stopped him, Heero, just like always," she whispered, blinking back a torrent of tears. He could feel her shaking and cursed himself again. "I-I..." There were no more words, only a river of tears that she could no longer dam. Heero pulled her into his arms.

"Heero!" Wufei burst into the room followed by Trowa. Both stopped short at the sight of the dead man. Heero glanced over his broad shoulder at them. He knew what their assumption was. Wufei knelt by the assassin, checking his pulse, though already knowing he was dead. Trowa went to Heero.

"You two okay?" the quiet agent asked. Relena pulled back and looked up at him and he read her panic and fright. Trowa felt a jolt run through him. Relena shot the assassin. "It's alright, Lena."

"No, no, it's not alright!" She jerked away from both men, her gentian eyes glazing over. "I-I killed him! It's not alright!" Wufei got to his feet, obsidian eyes narrowing. Where did Relena get a gun? He stopped beside Heero, eyes on the frightened girl.

"Get Sally," Heero commanded in a low voice. He moved toward his girlfriend. "Koibito, shh. You did nothing wrong," he said, holding out his hands to her. Relena stopped, wanting and needing him and his soft reassurances.

Wufei walked away, tapping his earpiece. "Sally. Relena's room. She shot her assassin."

"Oh, God. I'm coming," the beautiful Preventer/ doctor assured him. She ran out to one of the ambulances and grabbed a tranquilizer. Relena would be scared and upset, and they would need to calm her down. Pacing up the stairs she reached the young Vice Foreign Minister's room and jogged in.

Heero was holding Relena tight to him, talking in a quiet, low voice to her. Trowa and Wufei stood off to the side, both young agents looking distressed. Something like this should never have happened. That was why they were there. Sally caught Heero's eye and went forward, tapping the syringe. Relena turned her head and shook it. "No, Sally. I don't want that!" she said, starting to pull back from Heero. He tightened his hold. "No, Heero! Let me go!"

"Shh, Relena. Just relax," he told her and nodded to Sally. Relena, knowing she could never get away from him, slumped into his arms.

"It will only poke a little," Sally assured her and slid the needle into her arm. Almost at once, the young politician relaxed and Heero picked her up and carried her over to her bed. When he set her down and turned to his friends, he saw their questioning gazes. Wufei and Trowa's looks held mild accusation.

"What exactly happened in here?" Trowa asked, forest eyes narrowed.

Heero glanced back at his resting girlfriend. "She shot her assassin with my .45."

"How did she get your .45?" Wufei asked, arms crossed over his solid chest.

"I left it here earlier tonight. I was going over security with her for tomorrow."

"You left it here on purpose, then?" Trowa questioned, one eyebrow raised. "Why?"

Heero's cool Prussian blues met his vivid greens. "Maybe it was instinct. It just felt like one of those nights," the young Japanese man said.

Sally took a deep breath. "Heero, did you consider how Relena would react to killing someone?" Her blue eyes were worried. Heero nodded.

"Yes, I did, Sally. She'll be fine. Trust me." He turned and walked over to the bed, settling his 6'0" frame down and gazing at the girl he loved. "Trowa, get the team together. We need to know who this guy is and who he works for."

The 6'2" agent nodded and turned away. Duo hadn't found a bomb, and Middie and Hilde hadn't found anyone else suspicious on the premises. He called them together, knowing they had a long night of work ahead. Heero covered Relena up and kissed her cheek before turning to his team. There was a cold look in his bright blues that they knew all too well.

No one threatened Relena Darlian. No one.

A/N: I have chapter two done already and might post it in a few weeks. Like I said, I'm trying to finish up The Champions first, but this story just spoke to me. Please let me know in a review what you think. RL2