A/N: One of my very few Au fics... yayayaa I'm so wonderful... -looks around sees people staring- okay so I'm that wonderful... :P neways... on to my disclaimer and warnings and then on to my fabulous story... yay me... Disclaimer- I refuse to disclaim anything because hey you know I don't own it and I know I don't own it... no reason for me to waste breath saying it... Warnings- shonen- ai boy-boy loving, maybe some yaoi boy-boy sex, slash, alternate universe, angst... there I think that's everything... if I left anything out I apologize.

Chapter 1- Saying Good-bye

Quatre watched from his side of the table as the lithe young woman slid into the seat. Quatre smiled into her amazing green depths, moving to clasp her hand across the small table top. He watched the small smile forming on her face, making her emerald depths sparkle brighter. The small restaurant smelled slightly of pasta dishes and cheese, Quatre breathed it in deeply as he stared across at his dinner partner.

"How did the meeting go?" Quatre let the question hang in the air, the woman's smile widened.

"It went well, he was better this time. Maybe next time you could come visit with me?" she asked, a small spark of hope flashing in her green depths.

"Perhaps, Ciara, perhaps," the blonde man focused on their joint hands, his answer noncommittal.

"He's not really such a bad guy, and he's my father," Ciara stared at him, green eyes boring into aqua marine.

"I do not have any qualms with your father, my dear Ciara," he smiled, raising her hand to his mouth, pressing her knuckles to his tender lips.

"I believe you, Quatre. Oh I wanted you to meet my brothers," she looked excitedly up into his eyes.

"I've already met one of them, how many more are there?" he joked lovingly, staring into her wide eyes.

"Two more," she answered, then stuck her tongue out at him in playfulness.

"And where were they during the family dinner?" Quatre raised light blonde eyebrows, his shaggy blonde hair, a tad long in the front, hiding them from view.

"Well Trowa was in the service and stationed a few countries too far to make it," she paused to grin cheekily at him.

"And the other one?" a small smile played on her lips.

The smile dropped from her lips, her face falling. She shook her head slightly, shrugging her shoulders. He watched the uncharacteristic emotions.

"You don't know where he was, darling?" he spoke softly, squeezing her hands in comfort.

"No, I know where he was. He was in a hospital," she spoke softly, her bottom lip quivering slightly.

"Allah. what for?" Quatre breathed the words.

"He had cancer, he's in remission. He's the baby of the family," she looked up into his eyes, the green of her irises swimming from unshed tears.

"Why did you never tell me, I always assumed you were the baby of the family," he spoke softly, staring back into the beautiful emerald eyes.

"You could say that, we're twins. I didn't tell you because he didn't tell us. No one in our family knew anything about his sickness until two days ago. He had visited us, and no one of us ever noticed the way he seemed to be deteriorating. He's lost a lot of weight, but he was never very heavy to begin with. Although he's gained a lot of it back since the chemotherapy, he still looks a little malnourished. I can't believe none of us realized it, we were too wrapped up in our own lives. He's my twin and yet I still failed to be there for him when he needed me the most," she spoke the words, allowing one salty tear to fall its lonely descent, streaking down her soft cheek and pooling in the corner of her lips.

"Don't blame yourself, if he didn't want you to know there was nothing you could do about it," he spoke softly, wiping the remaining wetness from her face.

"I know that, I really do know," here she paused to take a long shaky breath. "I just wish I could've somehow changed what happened and been by his side, he suffered through it all alone- he shouldn't of."

She shook her head as unpleasant thoughts invaded her mind. Quatre watched the small battle play out on her ever expressive face. Watching the rage and turmoil inside the short woman, he leaned over quickly to place a chaste kiss upon her cherry colored lips.

"My dear Ciara, understand that he is well now and in need of your love. What is in the past is just that, gone by and finished. I will meet these brothers, how about going tomorrow?" he smiled at the pretty, long haired girl beside of him, her chestnut curls flowing around her.

"Yes, Quatre, that would be perfect," she attempted a smile, and succeeded with only a pained grimace.

Quatre was awakened the next morning by a shrill ring. He opened his eyes groggily, looking around for the source of the noise. Looking at the bright red numbers displayed prominently before him, he groaned. Someone was calling him at four-thirty in the morning.

Climbing out of bed, he shrugged on his robe. He stalled by the hall phone, then groaning picked it up in his hand. Placing the receiver somewhere between his shoulder and head, he spoke into it in a soft sleep filled voice.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Mr. Winner?" a clinical sounding voice spoke on the other line, a woman by the sounds of it.

"Yes, this is Mr. Winner," he grimaced, stupid telemarketers calling at absurd times was beyond annoying.

"Mr. Winner, this is Kaiwaibba Emergency Medical Hospital, we are calling on the behalf of one Ciara Devi-" the woman was cut off by an exasperated Quatre.

"What happened to her?" he was frantic as he paced the expanse of the cord.

"She was found in a brutal car wreck, this morning at around two a.m. We brought her in with extensive damage, including internal bleeding, severe concussion, a large gash through her abdomen, and several broken limbs. It was a hit and run, the counter part of the accident has yet to be found. She has sustained major blood loss, and has fluid build up in her lungs. We have her on life support and a respirator," the cleric on the other side paused as she heard a choked sob on the other end of the line.

"I will be there as soon as I can get there, have you contacted her parents?" he spoke in a watery voice.

"Hai."

"Then goodbye," Quatre let the phone fall back onto its cradle, holding his head in his hands.

He stood for a moment, frozen that way, then snapped into action. He grabbed his keys off the hook and hurried out of the door, still clad in his pajamas bottoms and cotton top, and rushed out of the door. He was in his car and speeding down the road before the world could blink an eye, driving speeds that were not only illegal but extremely dangerous. He came to a screeching stop in a hospital parking space, jumping from within his sleek car's small seat and running into the emergency room. He stopped long enough to check in with the front desk, then found himself rushing towards the room number he had been given. He stopped, shell shocked, as he saw long chestnut curls disappear from view around the corner. He fought the urge to chase after them, thinking for one absurd moment that those chestnut curls wisping out of sight may of been connected to his love, his Ciara.

He brushed the thought aside and staggered into the room beside of him, the room the nurse had indicated. There on the bed lay her battered body, every patch of skin visible bruised or cut. Small and large machines chirped and tweeted as they whirred in the corner, all attached to the gaunt body laying in the bed. Suddenly emerald eyes fluttered open, pinning him with a sad gaze. A pale hand reached out to weakly grasp his own.

"Did you see him?" her voice was raspy, yet held no waver.

"See who, darling?" he bent closer to hear.

"My guardian angel," her eyes fluttered closed, then opened again.

"No, my love, I didn't see him," a single tear ran down her pale face as he spoke.

"He looks just like me and he'll take care of you. He'll love you, just like me, just like me..." her breathing became shallow.

"No, darling, I love you, you have to stay here with me. Please don't leave me," even as he spoke her heart beat grew faint and she was gone. He fell to his knees, clutching her lifeless hand. he refused to cry, even as the doctor's walked in and wheeled her away, forever.