Warning: mild shounen ai, angst
White Picket Fences
by Stargurl117

The kitchen was chaos as usual. Heero groaned because it was WAY too early for this. Where was his damn coffee?

His thought was broken by the cry of his youngest son, Matt as his older son, Sam pulled Matt's fat pigtail of a braid. Matt screeched again from another yank. Then squirming in an attempt to free his braid knocked a bowl full of cereal off the table sending it shattering to the floor.

Both boys froze as their father the "Omae o korosu" death glare.

Duo stumbled out of his bedroom, instantly changing from groggy 24 year old to giddy 5 year old at the sight of food.

"All right! Lucky Charms! Heero you're a God!"

It was an absolute joke that they were living together- with kids. But it cured Duo from his depression after Hildie's death. It was all Iria Winner's fault. Heero said Duo needed a dog. Iria said he needed kids.

A little bit of Heero's blood and an equal amount of Duo's and they had kids. Duo loved them and though he would never admit it, so did Heero. Even if Matt's personality was more like Duo's than his own.

He remembered when Matt and Sam were babies, they were only a few months apart in age. (That was one of the blessings/curses that came from having test tube babies) Two kids were a recipe for disaster, but in Duo's eyes, it was Heaven.

Heero remembered when Duo and the boys (a.k.a. demons) had moved in with him on L1. Duo had decided on moving when he couldn't bare the feeling of Hildie's ghost in his old house anymore. No..not his house Heero thought, their house. It was going to be their house once they were married.

So Heero said Duo could move in with him till he found a house. Heero helped out with the boys: fed them, rocked them in their cradle but touched them as little as possible. One night Duo noticed Heero's timidness around the boys.

"If I can touch them without breaking them, they're indestructible," he chuckled, handing Heero a baby Matt.

Heero stared wide-eyed at the drooling baby in his arms. There was a reason he let Duo handle them, Duo was a natural at it, Heero sucked. The young Matt looked up at Heero through Duo's strange blue-violet eyes, smiled slightly, then began to giggle madly and kick his feet. (Which were clad in back booties with bat wings.)

Heero felt a sudden warmth in his heart he'd never felt before. Until then, his empathy had only felt pain and suffering. Now his heart felt the absolute joy of a 6-month-old being held in the arms of someone he adored.

That warmth shielded him from all his painful memories. Holding Duo in his arms as he sobbed violently over Hildie's death, and letting Relena go.

He knew the baka would get over her girlish fantasies one day, but he never realized what an impact it would have on him.

God….he'd loved her and he never realized it, but she didn't belong with a violent person like him, she needed someone…..

Anyway the newscast saying Relena Dorlan had given birth to a baby girl had come as a shock, but he sent roses for Relena and a teddy bear for Anne.

"Heero?" Duo said for the fifth time in a row. Heero blinked as if he'd been yanked from a daydream. Geez, being a parent made him all sappy. It had turned him into the Heero Duo always known existed, but rarely saw.

"Phone for you," Duo continued, handing the phone to Heero and returning to flicking cereal at Sam.

He had lived with Heero almost three years before he had found a new place to live. He was all packed and everything ready to say his thanks and temporary good byes to Heero. Well… sort of…. he couldn't get the words out.

"Wow I can't believe the demons are almost three! Finally old enough to for their dear old dad to teach them about the beauty of explosives."

At this Heero pulled his sons protectively at his side in a flash. Then insisted that Duo live with him, so he could be close to the boys. He also insisted that he have his bedroom returned, and that Shinigami the pyro-maniac can spend three years on the couch for a change. Sam and Matt went to their rooms instinctively, they could see a fight coming a mile away.

Duo looked like he was about to protest, and Heero started to raise his voice. Duo then remembered the saying "Talk is cheap" and decided to tackle Heero instead sending them both crashing to the floor. Considering they were both good fighters, no one was really winning this fight. They were both rolling around on the floor when their lips touched. Untangling themselves quickly, they sat up and stared at each other wide-eyed.

"You planned this whole thing…" Heero said blankly.

"Did not!" Duo protested, sounding almost identical to his children.

Heero stared at him.

"Did no-" Duo didn't get to finish his protest as Heero grabbed his face and kissed him.

Ahhh…. Memories Duo thought. Wait a minute… his little demons were almost five! What do you get a five-year-old? Water guns of course! Nah- Heero would never go for that. He'd just say Duo wanted water guns so he could go after the neighbor's cat. Damn… He knew him too well!

Heero hung up the phone.

"Get the demons off to school." He said.

Duo wanted to ask what was up, but Heero's expression told him to think otherwise. Sam and Matt also knew something was up, but they headed off to school anyway.

When they had left, Duo waited for Heero to tell him what was wrong.

"Baka," Heero muttered.

"Yes?"

"Not you."

"Oh you mean baka of the blonde and royal variety."

"Someone tried to assassinate her."

"Huh?!"

"We need to go to the hospital."

"Nani?! You mean she's here?!" Duo practically screeched, but Heero was already out the door.

At the hospital Heero practically ran to Relena's room Noin greeted them when they reached Relena's floor. But all Heero heard was 'she asked for you specifically' as he burst into the room.

"See? This is what you do to people with that 'I'm going to kill you' crap. They become a gun magnet." Duo said as he walked into the room.

Relena laughed quietly, then started a conversation with Duo, who could barely hear her over the beeping machines. Relena noticed Heero was beginning to fidget.

"Duo could you excuse us please?"

Duo, who would much rather leave than be ignored headed for the door. Heero handed him a five-credit-bill on his way out. "Buy a candy bar," he said.

The door closed and Relena wasted no time.

"If I were to die would you take care of Anne for me?"

"Huh? I think she should be by her relatives like Zechs or her father," he said flatly. Kuso! He turned off the announcement of Anne's birth before they said who the father was!

"Heero…" Relena said softly, bringing Heero to her bedside. She grabbed his shirt suddenly, bringing him closer to her. ***

Duo never got to the vending machine. He sat in a chair outside and started reading his book.

"DNA and genetics?" a familiar voice asked. Duo looked up. "Hey guys long time no see"

"I never knew you read actual books Duo." Quatre said happily then blushed, embarrassed by his badly worded greeting.

"If you want to thank Iria for Sam and Matt, just become her personal guinea pig, you don't have to read any of her books." Trowa added.

"Sooo…have you guys reached third base yet?" Duo asked innocently. There that ought to shut them up he thought, heading for the vending machine. He didn't want anyone to know about his knew hobby, at least not yet.

He grabbed his candy bars then stopped-he heard something. Crying. He walked down an endless row of vending machines, and found a small girl crying in a corner.

Anne. It had to be Relena's daughter. Same hair, same hairstyle.

Duo handed her a candy bar."Here," he said.

"Thank you," Anne said looking up through here teary eyes, but they weren't hers. They were Heero's. ****

"Na-nani?" Heero managed to mutter.

"Well for once I caught you off guard.

"But…how….? You're insane Relena."

"Heero…do you remember when you first kissed me?"

Heero scoffed and walked out the door, closing it behind him. He found Trowa waiting in the hall.

"Heero how is she?" Quatre asked quietly.

When he didn't answer, Quatre tried to start up a conversation on another topic. He asked how Duo and Matt and Sam were and about life in general.

Heero just leaned against the wall, crossed his arms and stared at Relena's closed door in disgust.

"Since when is Duo interested in DNA?" Trowa asked.

Heero just stared at him.

"We found him out here reading one of Iria's books Quatre explained.

"He's been reading a lot lately, he's been trying to hide it from me, so I figured it was one of his 'shounen ai' mangas he claims he hates" Heero replied.

Just then Duo walked up to them balancing a small blond girl on his hip. The girl had her arms wrapped around Duo's neck affectionately, sniffling away her remaining tears.

"Hey look what the vending machine gave me for only half-a-credit." He leaned close to Heero and whispered, "We need to talk later."

Duo set Anne down. She hugged him tightly.

"Take good care of your mom," he told her, then he waved to Trowa and Quatre, who were standing across the hall. (Which was probably to Duo's advantage, because Trowa looked like he didn't see the humor in that 'third base' crack, Quatre however was giggling.)

****

Heero and Duo left the hospital in silence.

"Anata ga suki, Heero, " Duo said quietly when they got outside.

Heero didn't even grunt.

"How come you never acknowledge me in public?" Duo asked.

"Because in our dark room I pretend you're a woman with a deep voice, which is hard to do in broad daylight," he chuckled.

Duo stopped walking, too insulted too move. Heero grabbed the baka by his braid, dragged him home and didn't let go till they were behind their closed bedroom door.

"It's hard to do…" Heero continued, "Because in daylight I realize you're too beautiful to be a woman, or anything from this Earth for that matter."

"Did Dr. J train you to be seductive?" Duo asked playfully, undoing his long chestnut brown braid.

Needless to say, neither of them went into work that day.

***

Duo lay awake in bed, Heero sleep beside him looking as innocent as a five-year-old, curled up at Duo's side with his arm around Duo's waist.

"Damn you Heero, I was going to ask you about Anne," Duo quietly cured to the ceiling.

Duo wondered if Heero was ever like this with Relena, the thought made him shutter. Of course, Anne was born a whole six months before Hildie's death and nearly a whole year before the boys were born, so it wasn't like he was cheating or anyting.

So Duo wasn't the only one in Heero's heart after all… the thought made him angry. But then he wondered how Heero felt competing for Duo's heart with a ghost on a daily basis.

Duo got up and put a shirt on. Now he could take his necklace out of his pocket and return it to his neck, and hide it under his shirt.

Thank God Heero hadn't seen it after all these years. Hildie's engagement ring on a silver chain.

Duo opened his dresser drawer and took out the locked box inside it. He found the key and unlocked the box. Inside there was a large sum of money, a shounen ai comic Heero hadn't thrown out, an invitation to Duo and Hildie's wedding, and a hairbrush, among other objects. Duo clutched the hairbrush close to his heart.

"You are so obsessed with your hair it's sick," Heero said groggily.

"Heero…I've been wanting to talk to you about something…two things actually," Duo replied quietly.

Heero started to get dressed, then came to Duo's side, sitting next to him on the floor.

"The first thing is about Anne"

"What about her?" Heero asked flatly.

"What did Relena tell you about her?"

"Relena is delusional"

"She told you she's your daughter….didn't she?" Duo asked quietly.

Heero was shocked, not only had Duo guessed it he was being extremely quiet.

"Heero she is your daughter, it's in her eyes."

"You're both insane," was the reply after a long pause.

"I don't see why you're so bothered by this I mean, it doesn't bother me….at the moment, If that's what you're thinking. I mean, all this happened WAY before we found each other."

Heero just stared at him like he'd lost his mind- again.

Duo started thinking. When did all this stuff with Relena happen? He wasn't stupid, he would have known if something had happened between his best friend and the girl he vowed to kill.

The Christmas party of course!

It was a year after the Mariemaya incident ,and man did those Preventers know how to throw a party! He had proposed to Hildie at that party, right before all the egg nog he'd had caught up with him. He had spent the rest of the night sick on a sofa in some Preventers' office. Hildie stayed with him all night even though he told her to go back to the party. It was obvious that she loved him, anybody who held your hair back for you while you barfed, and cleaned out a barf bucket for you so you didn't have to spend the night hunched over the toilet, loved you.

Quatre had relayed the highlights of the party the following day. Note to self- Quatre is camera happy, Duo thought. The best photos were of Heero and Relena after Noin tricked them under the mistletoe. God the looks on their faces! Duo laughed at the thought.

Wait a minute, he'd figured it out! "

You're ashamed because she seduced you!!!" He yelled "So the 'Perfect Solder' does have a weakness after all!" He laughed.

God Relena hitting on Heero! And Heero falling for it!

Heero was quiet as he shot Duo the Death Glare. "Relena wants me to take care of Anne if something were to happen to her"

"Of course we'll take care of her in, she needs to spend quality time with you," Duo replied.

"What was the other thing you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Not important…forget it."

Bang! The front door slammed shut. Heero and Duo could hear the yelling from the kitchen. Then the bedroom door flew open.

"Dad! Otosan!" Matt yelled as his violet eyes light up.

Sam grabbed him by the braid and pulled him out of the room.

"Gomen.." he said shutting the door.

There was a knock at the door followed by Sam's voice saying "Now you can open it!"

And once again Matt burst into the room "Dad! Otosan!" "

Hey Demons how was school?" Duo asked. A frown crossed Matt's face, tears began to fill his eyes, then he burst into tears, throwing himself at Duo.

"What's the matter?" Duo asked quietly.

"I made Gabriela Paul cry and now she hates me!" he said between sobs.

"Who?" Heero asked cocking an eyebrow.

"Oh…just the girl he LIKES!" Sam supplied.

"DO NOT!!!" Matt screamed, hiccuping from crying so hard.

"What did you do?" Heero asked flatly, changing the subject, trying to avoid a fight.

Matt was quiet for a moment. "…called her a demon…." He mumbled.

"You WHA- -T?!?" Duo shrieked. "What possessed you to do that?!?"

Heero leaned close to Duo's ear "Keep in mind Duo that they only know 'demon' as a term of affection."

Duo chuckled and looked at the boy in his arms, who had resumed sobbing.

Kindergarten and already clueless with women, he hasn't got a prayer, Duo thought.

Matt gripped his Dad's shirt as he started crying again. If Gabriela didn't like complements, what did she like?

****

Heero slapped some peanut butter on a slice of bread while he thought about what a good pair Matt and Sam made. Sam was smart (not to mention going to be a real smart ass when he got older) he could comprehend things in a flash and he was very mature for his age.

Matt was like Duo's clone. He was happy-go-lucky. He was also creative that was for sure, give him two minutes and he could find 50 ways to drive Heero up the wall or make Duo laugh.

Spontaneous Matt and down-to -Earth Sam, thank God they got along.

"What'cha thinkin' Koi?" Duo asked, flopping back on the couch in the living room.

"I was thinking about how glad I am that you didn't name the demons 'Chibi-Shinigami' and 'Mega-Death'"

"'Mega-Death ?" Duo mocked. "Anyway I know what you mean….I'm glad you didn't name them after your three favorite words…and shock.! they're not 'anata ga suki'….I can see it now our three kids Omae O and Korosu. 'Corse that would have gotten me another kid." Duo flashed Heero a Devil grin.

Heero made his way to the living room and Duo stood up. Heero wrapped his arms around Duo's neck, and his fingers came across a thin silver chain. He'd noticed it before. Duo's eyes went wide as if Heero found something he wasn't supposed to. Heero tugged on the chain playfully anyway. His fingers hit something, he looked at his hand. He recognized instantly, Hildie's engagement ring. Duo pushed Heero away from him and backed away with a pleading look in his eyes.

Duo froze and looked in Heero's eyes, he'd never seen them so hurt.

"Heero..."

But Heero didn't stop to listen to the rest. The door slammed behind as he stormed out.

****

Anne brought her mother the pillow she had requested. Anne was so glad to have to have her mother out of the hospital. For now she has been moved into a mansion on L1 with guards stationed everywhere and a few nurses on call in case they were needed.

"Thank you Anne dear," Relena told her as she handed the pillow to her mother Relena was sitting up in bed reading. She had improved since this morning when she talked to that strange man with the messy brown hair that left with Duo Anne observed.

"If you get one of your books I'll read to you Sweetheart." Relena offered.

"No thank you," Anne replied, Giving Relena a hug and a kiss. "I love you ,"she added.

"I love you too Anne"

Anne left the room. Finally she's going to bed, Relena thought. She looked at the clock, almost ten it was a good idea she went to bed too. She turned out her light.

Relena didn't know how long she was asleep when she woke up to her dark room. She heard crying….from the balcony? Anne? Relena slipped on her robe and walked a short distance through the arched glass door and onto the balcony.

"Anne?"

She didn't expect who she found. His knees were pulled up to his chest, tears in his eyes. Heero Yuy.

Relena sat down beside him and put her arm his shoulder. To her surprise, Heero pulled her into a hug and cried on her shoulder.

****

Heero awoke in a large four poster canopy bed, Relena's bed. She had sat up in bed while he cried like a baby on her shoulder. She didn't ask any questions, didn't say anything, just rubbed his back while he cried.

He got out of bed, trying desperately not to wake the sleeping Relena. Cursing himself for letting last night happen he made his way to the door. As he touched the doorknob a thought went across his mind. A memory more accurately: Relena once asked Heero to promise her not to leave the Sank kingdom without saying goodbye. He'd only nodded to make her be quiet, then left shortly after.

He owed her a goodbye.

I don't owe her anything he hissed in his head, but his body wasn't listening. He walked around the bed to Relena's side, picked up the notepad and pen resting on her night stand and wrote "Bye-Heero"

***

Duo looked up at the ceiling, he'd been awake for a while but he didn't want to wake his sleeping demons. Thank God they came out into the living room and asked what was wrong before he'd done something stupid.

He chuckled at Matt, sprawled out on top of him and Sam curled up at his side like a dog.

Matt's eyes snapped open as looked up at his dad. "I'm hungry!" he declared, standing up on top of Duo in all the wrong places.

"Shift…your weight..," Duo grunted.

"Kay," Matt said taking a flying leap off Duo and crashing to the floor. Matt jumped up as if nothing happened and ran out of the bedroom toward the kitchen.

"Is Otosan home yet?" Sam asked looking up at Duo.

"No," Duo answered gruffly.

Sam climbed over his Dad and walked to the door.

"If you hear anything break, it wasn't me," he clarified heading toward the kitchen.

Duo shut the door, leaned against it and started to cry again. God Heero left over that stupid ring. Would he ever come back?

He got out the locked box again, and spread the contents out on the floor.

"Hildie….come on Angel help me out here," Duo pleaded.

He wiped his eyes with his hand and wondered why he'd never seen Heero cry. He'd seen tears, but that was about it.

"Hey," greeted the figure in the doorway.

"Heero-" before Duo could say anymore, two demons pounced on Heero from behind, sending him to the floor.

"Otosan!" They yelled happily.

***

When they finally got the demons to leave, Heero seated himself next to Duo and put his arm around him.

"Heero…I'm so sorry..I just can't get her out of my head," Duo choked.

"It's OK I overreacted, I just wish you would have told me," Heero said trying to hide the pain in his voice.

"Heero, I love you, don't ever leave me," Duo pleaded, tears coming to his eyes. "Heero.. can we have anther kid?…Wait let me finish," He said reading Heero's shocked expression. He picked up the hairbrush on the floor and held it to his chest. "I've been reading Iria's books," Duo continued. "And you don't need blood samples to make kids anymore, you can do it with anything that has DNA in it. This is Hildie's hairbrush, I wanna use the hair on it to ….." There was along painful pause. "Heero I want a daughter, I want a baby Hildie."