It was the blaring of the alarm clock that jolted Heero out of a particularly nasty dream. Even as he opened his eyes, the nightmarish images were already fading away. By the time he swung his legs over the side of the bed, they were almost completely gone.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled as he slapped his palm unceremoniously onto the alarm clock's quit button. The dream was gone, but judging by the state of his covers, it had been a doozie. The only remnant that seemed to want to remain was a glimpse of Duo's face, but the harder Heero tried to remember, the more dim the image became, so he gave it up. Besides; it had been eight years since he had last seen the braided pilot.

Eleven years had passed since the ending of Operation Endless Waltz. He didn't realize how hard it would be to leave the Preventers in order to obtain a normal life. Being a soldier was all he knew, but the simpler he tried to make life, the harder it became.

Perhaps he preferred it that way.

He rubbed the back of his neck slowly as he headed to the bathroom to grab a quick shower. Winter was just underway and eager to make the most of its time while the sun was further from the earth. Heavy flakes of snow drifted past the bathroom window as Heero scrubbed away the sweat from his body. Once, while he was lathering his hair, Duo's face again popped into his mind. Heero shook his head and then tipped it back to rinse the shampoo out.

"Even as a memory, or glimpse of a dream, you're still annoying," he muttered as he shut the water off and reached out through the shower curtain to grab a towel. The heating wasn't doing too well in the building. Although his own apartment was extremely well kept and tidy, the rest of the building was ready to fall down around his ears, it seemed. If the heat wasn't out, then the water was acting up. If it wasn't the plumbing, then they were having troubles with the electricity and like clockwork, the air conditioning always crapped out during the hottest part of summer. At least it was in the middle of the city. Everything Heero needed was within walking distance.

"Almost everything," he said quietly, and then lifted his face. His reflection met him with a wide-eyed look of surprise. Slowly masking the emotion, Heero lifted the towel and ran it vigorously over his head before tossing it in the hamper on his way to his room to change into something warmer.

He had filled out well over the years. He stood before the tall mirror in his room, holding a sweater in his hands as he gazed at his naked form. Scars from battles long fought were smooth and pale against his skin; muscles chiseled his frame, though he wasn't bulky. He had grown as well, standing at just six two. He wondered briefly at the height Duo had managed.

Standing on the corner, waiting to cross the busy street, Heero ducked his head to protect his face from the falling snow. Already his shoulders were white from the heavy flakes, dulling the black leather jacket. When the light changed, he stuffed his hands into his pockets and quickly crossed with a group of people eager to be on their own way. Christmas was just around the corner and shoppers were out in droves. When he reached the sidewalk, he narrowly averted stepping into an icy puddle. There was a time when he and Duo had been on a mission. It had snowed then, too. He remembered that the two of them had gone to a pub, and that the streets were cobblestone instead of asphalt. He paused, turning his head to gaze into a shop, but more studied his reflection as he visited the memory.

It had been the third to last mission they had left in their careers, both opting to retire so they could be normal. They had paid their dues, fresh blood was coming in behind them, and after all, no one is promised tomorrow.

They just wanted to be normal.

"Being normal is hard," Heero told the vague image of himself in the large shop window. A woman gave him a weird look as she stepped around him.

"Being normal is human," a voice spoke up behind him. Wheeling around, Heero's eyes widened in surprise for the second time that day. "Trowa?"

"Hello, Heero."

"If anyone wanted to find me, it would be you."

"So I can tell by the disappointment in your voice."

"I'm sorry," Heero said softly, his stiff shoulders relaxing. "I was… talking to myself. How long were you following me?"

"I was actually on my way to your apartment when you walked out past me. When you didn't acknowledge me, I followed you. I thought perhaps I could talk you into meeting me for some coffee. You didn't respond when I called your name."

"My mind was other places."

"I can only imagine where."

"It's not what you think."

"Sure it is, I'm thinking along the same lines you are."

"Quatre is much easier to find than Duo is. I find this an insanely odd coincidence, you and I here, talking about two people we haven't seen in nearly a decade. Hell, we haven't seen each other in that long, either. Something in the air perhaps?"

"Perhaps," Trowa said as he began to walk ahead. Heero took the cue and joined him in step. They walked in silence, threading through people they still considered civilians who milled about on the sidewalk.

"Here's a good place," Heero said, nodding his head to a recessed doorway up ahead.

"Good, I'm frozen," Trowa said as he moved ahead to open the door. Heero paused before stepping through, lifting his eyes to his friend. They had both grown well over the years, he noted. Trowa had to be a few inches taller him, though not surprising with those long legs of his. He cut his eyes to the side and then stepped into the warm restaurant. At this time of day, there weren't many people in the mood to eat when there was money to be spent on baubles and useless things.

"I know where Duo is," Trowa said as he slipped into a bench seat. Heero paused, and then eased into the one across from his friend. Today decided that it would be one full of surprises. "And we both know where Quatre is."

"Why haven't you contacted him?" Heero asked.

"I don't know…"

"He really cares for you."

"I know."

"And you came to find me to tell me where Duo is instead of going to see Quatre…"

"And you live two hours from Quatre. Have you gone to visit him?"

"No, I haven't," Heero grunted softly. "He'd only ask why I haven't brought Duo with me."

"They spend a lot of time together, as I've heard."

Heero felt a sharp twinge in his chest. Resentment, regret or jealousy? "Is that why you're here?" he asked.

Trowa only nodded his head once.

"You don't think they're…"

"I don't know."

"Can't be," Heero said after they ordered coffee. He drummed his fingers onto the table top. "They were close, like brothers. Best friends…"

"That's true," Trowa agreed as he turned his face to the window. The lightly tinted glass made the day seem all the much colder against the heavy, overcast sky.

"We didn't want to be with them, so they're with each other," Heero muttered softly.

"You can't think of it that way," Trowa said quietly. "There was always Hilde…"

"She's married to another man."

"Ah, so you've checked," Trowa said, his voice lilting up slightly.

"I've checked," Heero responded, his own tone slightly sullen. "And the man isn't Duo. I just wanted to see."

"Let's face it, Heero. We've been apart from them for nearly ten years. I think… it's time to see them again."

"Duo doesn't do abandonment well; at least Quatre is more forgiving."

"Duo will forgive you."

Heero cut his eyes up to Trowa. "Then you don't know Duo too well."