Finally a Peaceful Christmas

Chapter 2

After the boys finished bringing in the luggage and everyone was settled in their rooms, everyone gathered in the living room. Relena had decorated the whole house very festive but the dining room and the living room was the most ornate. There was beautiful reds and greens everywhere, on the windowsill there was a adorable Christmas town scene and in the corner there was a large tall tree that glittered with lights and sparkling ornaments. All of this helped set the Christmas mood along with a warm, crackling fire in the fire place.

Everyone oohed and ahhed over the beauty of it as they all sat around the room, Heero and Relena cuddled close on one side while Trowa and Cathy sat on the other side close holding hands.

Duo sat in a recliner with Hilde on his lap while Wufei and Sally sat on the love seat with his arm around her. Meanwhile Quatre sat on the floor arranging all of the presents under the tree, he was cheerfully happy to see his friends in love and he was honored to still spend such a special time with them. Before he never imagined they could do so. He smiled as he listened to them chatter.

"Trowa, I am surprised to see after all this time that Quatre is still single, do you have any ideas of what may be standing in his way? I mean as close of a friend you are to him, you must have seen something." Relena asked him quietly as she watched Quatre.

"Well I don't know for sure, he hardy talks about it at all but I know he has been spending all of his time working on rebuilding his father's company. After his death I know it's been on his heart for a long while after what happened to his father. I don't think he has been letting himself focus on anything else." Trowa answered with a sigh.

"Hmm, interesting" Relena replied thinking deeply, suddenly she had a wonderful idea. She stood up with a smile. "If everyone will excuse me for a moment."she said politely as she headed to the kitchen to make a phone call.

Heero watched his wife get up and leave seeing that all to familiar glint in her eyes she got whenever she had something up her sleeve. Now what Relena? He thought with a smirk on his face as he shook his head.

While Relena was on the phone, the door bell rang once again. Everyone looked at each other pretty sure they had an idea of who was there. "Hey Duo, why don't you get it" Sally asked with a smirk. Hilde hoped off his lap so he could get up. "Alright." he said getting up. "Come with me, babe." he said taking her hand.

As they left the room, Wufei nudged his Sally with a smile. "Nice one, this should be good."

Everyone laughed, obviously Duo and Hilde were the only ones not aware of Noin's "condition" and they waited anxiously to hear what was to happen.

Duo opened the door and his jaw dropped to the floor. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed clearly shocked. There standing next to Zechs was a very pregnant Noin.

Hilde giggled at Duo's reaction and Zechs just rolled his eyes. From the living room the laughter of the others could be heard aswell.

"It's nice to see you too, Duo." Noin said with a laugh. "Sorry, I just didn't know that you were kno...er... with child" Duo said trying to choose his words carefully after his "polite reaction"

"When do you know anything, Duo?" Heero added behind him, the others gathering as well in the entryway to greet the new arrivals.

The truth was Duo had some reason not to know, the status of Zechs and Noin was unknown to most. After Heero's and Relena's wedding they took of in space by themselves where they ended up eloping on one of the colonies a short time after. Within only a few months Noin became pregnant and she was due in early January.

Duo gave Heero a smug look, "Well if someone would call Hilde and me once in a while." All he received in response was eye roll from Heero.

"So how are you feeling, Noin" Sally asked pushing pass Duo. "Yeah, you look radiant" Cathy chimed in with Hilde at her side as well. The women all begun chatting about baby stuff leaving the guys to themselves.

"So how's things in space, Zechs?" Heero asked.

"Yeah, it sounds amazingly beautiful to fly around in peace now. Wuffei and Sally were telling us about their preventers duties lately , so peaceful." Quatre added almost dreamily. The boys continued to catch up about space and Zech's travels.

In the kitchen Relena finished her phone call with a smile and was pleased to recognize her brother's voice among the chatter. It had been a long time since she had seen him, talking on the phone with him didn't mean the same.

"Zechs!"she said happily giving him a big hug as she joined them in the entry room.

"Hello my dear sister" Zechs greeted her returning her hug and kissing her on the cheek. "Is Yuy treating you right? Or do I need to give my brother in-law some "advice."

Everyone laughed as Heero looked a bit tense.

"Oh brother, don't worry. Heero treats me wonderfully, a true gentleman." Relena replied with a smile as she wrapped her arms around Heero, relaxing him. Zechs smiled at the two, he was truly happy for his sister.

"So how about I help you , Zechs, bring your stuff in" Duo offered trying to redeem himself.

"Alright, let's go get the stuff, boys." Zechs said chuckling at Duo's attempt as they tromped outside.

"Relena, should we start getting the food out since we are all here now." Hilde asked.

"Well actually we are waiting on one more, but we can start getting things ready." she replied a bit like she was hiding something. The girls look at Relena surprised and confused.

"One more, Relena?" Noin asked not sure whom she meant.

Cathy took a moment to count of all who was there and remembered what she had heard Relena talk to Trowa about in the living room. Suddenly she realized who this mysterious guest could be. Not her. He hasn't seen her in such a long time.

"Oh Relena, you didn't!" she exclaimed out loud, clearly worried. She didn't know how it would turn out if it was her. " Did you meddle again?" Sally said with a laugh. "Maybe..." Relena replied sheepishly.

"Relena!" the girls said exhausted almost in unison.