'How long can I stay like this?' This question seemed to plague her more than usual lately. She knew that she had to move on, that he was gone, never to come back. Yet at the same time...he might come back...shaking her head she started to focus on cooking her family's food. Thoughts of him drifted back into her mind...cooking with her in this very kitchen...laughing and talking...his blonde hair shining in the evening sun, blue eyes sparkling. Suddenly she felt sick. Her unshed tears coming up and spilling over. Her sorrow suddenly coming up and like a tsunami overtaking her at her most vulnerable time. Her youngest brother who was setting the table came up to her and hugged her allowing her to finally just give in. She sank into his arms as sobs shook her to the core. Sighing he wondered why he would destroy her like this and if it was really his original intention.

Two years earlier...

The war between the colonies and earth had just ended and now there was finally peace, fragile and tentative as it was it was peace. Quatra, Herro, Duo, Trowa and Wufie had all parted ways again. Herro was to stay with Releena and protect her, Duo was working on a recycle yard with Hildie, Trowa rejoined the circus with Catherine, while Wufie and Sally went with the protectors too keep the peace from any potential threats. Quatra however decided he was going to go to school, his sisters had wanted him to run his late fathers business but he felt that maybe he should try to be a student on Earth first. Randomly choosing a school in The United States was easy, he decided that to be land locked was best and the state of Wyoming would be acceptable, close enough to the north that there would still be snow in the winter yet far enough that the summers would be warm. Also in deciding the place he chose to go to a mid-sized school. Sighing he sat back on his flight into Warland. Closing his eyes he first laughed at the irony of the name and then wondered who he would meet and what would happen...

Thinking about her life was easy; she was smart and her brothers wanted her to go to school instead of working on the farm. Alex was going to be upset. She didn't want an office job, she wanted to stay home. Sighing, she threw up another hay bale into the stack in the loft. School was fun but everyone in the city were stupid, they didn't understand life or death, how things worked or where their food came from. But above that she was happy, healthy and carefree for the most part. Besides the youngest Troy could go to school! Pondering this she sighed again. 'Now how to tell them?'

"Absolutely not! You are going to school!" Alex roared at the dinner table. Sighing she set her gaze on her eldest brother, green eyes boring into him.

"No I'm not. Alex I'm old enough to decide! I don't WANT to go to school! I want to live here, why don't YOU go if your going to be so damn pushy?"

Blue eyes glaring back at her he growled "Damnit, you are going to school, you know I can't. I HAVE to be here."

Wincing inwardly she knew he was supposed to go to college the year their parents died but she wasn't going to relent yet, he was not going to live vicariously through her- especially since she didn't want to leave.

"Look, this is MY home too! You CAN'T force me out! Besides what about Troy? He won't go to school if I do!"

Troy looked at her saying "It's okay Kat really it is, you should go."

Cringing on the inside she spat out, "You want to go, I don't, this is stupid some help you are!" Getting up from the table she stormed outside and got into the truck turning the key and driving off.

A short while later she was in town, pulling up at the empty school grounds she got out. School would be starting in a few days. The thought startled her a bit, summer went by so fast. She didn't even do any summer break homework yet. Sighing she got out of the truck and zipped up her jacket, despite the heat of the day the night cooled the entire area down pretty effectively. Walking around the grounds she realized that she didn't have any supplies for school let alone clothes, and was probably in desperate need of a haircut. Maybe Troy could do it...? He has gotten pretty good at just a basic trim. Besides, we probably can't afford a hair cut. Closing her eyes momentarily she desperately wished that their parents were with them again.

At that exact moment Quatra's plane was touching down, as it came to a stop and he got off to take a cab into the town he was suddenly hit with exhaustion and suddenly fell asleep on the way to his new 'house'. His 'house' was actually a room rented on a small farm. The farmhouse was bright yellow and there were several small barns and sheds on it, the pictures made it look simple yet at the same time very quaint and quiet. Just what he needed. After a few emails and wiring some money to the owners bank account he acquired a place to live in a short amount of time just in time for the first semester.

When Kat had gotten home the house was dark with the exception of one light being on, in the spare bedroom that was never used. 'I wounder what that's about...' Entering the house she seen Troy sitting with a blonde haired boy, Alex was no where to be seen and calmly asked,

"Troy what is going on?"

Troy swallowed, "Umm Kat this is Quatra he...he's going to be renting the spare room for the school year."

Hiding her surprise she only nodded. 'No one mentioned this to me...we will so be talking Alex..."

Smiling Kat extended her hand saying "Hello, please excuse my brother...my name is Kat."

Quatra stood up and looked Kat up and down quickly while shaking her hand. "Quatra, pleased to meet you." At five foot seven she was tall and lean, tanned skin from all the time outside and her light blonde hair fell just past her shoulders. Her green eyes had a strange light to them, come to think of it she looked almost her age, or slightly older...those eyes though they really were hypnotic...or maybe it was just his exhaustion hitting him.

"I am quite sorry, but I need to go to bed right now, I am very tired." Quatra yawned. Troy nodded empathetically and got up to lead him to his room. Once they had left she sat in Troy's seat.

'A renter? Are we really that hard up for money right now?' The thought left a sinking feeling in her stomach. Betrayal hit her at the same time 'No one tells me anything! They want me to go to college to be an adult yet they still treat me like a child!'

Shaking her head she looked at the clock it was eleven thirty and it was ridiculously late. Alex was probably in bed. She too should go, for five thirty was pretty early...

Waking up she pushed back her quilt wondering vaguely if meeting that Quatra guy was a dream or not...

'Mornings are SO not my thing.' Groggily shuffling into the bathroom. When she emerged a lot cleaner and more awake Quatra was standing outside the door patiently waiting his turn. Shock stopped her in her tracks and her mouth went into an 'o' of surprise.

"G-Good morning Quatra." She stuttered.

The ex-gundam pilot seemed rather amused with a small smile playing on his face he responded,

"Good morning to you too."

Shy wasn't normally in Kats vocabulary however, this man had caught her off guard. Not only for his looks, but for his relaxed nature. Making a mental note she decided to find Alex. Watching Kat walk back to her room made him realize that she looked really cute.

"Alex you have some explaining to do!" Kat demanded after she found him in the barn.

Ignoring her wasn't really an option right now so he put down his shovel and looked at her.

"Look Kat I know I should have told you-"

"TOLD ME? YA THINK? What the hell was running through your head?"

"WE NEED THE MONEY. That's what was running through my head. We need to eat, to pay taxes,buy feed for our livestock, and pay for fuel maybe? Were not making enough money as it is Kat, I know I should have told you but I figured I'd explain it at the dinner that you ran away from."

Guilt washed over her, realizing that she really had acted childish by running away. But what did he expect?

"Look I'm Sorry I blindsided you like this, I really am. But we're low on options right now...we need the money."

Nodding, Kat understood. She felt bad that she hadn't gotten a real paying summer job, one that would actually help them financially not just getting the chores done faster. The weight of this realization hit her and the guilt set in.

Turning around and heading back to their farm house she said "Alex I really am sorry-for everything."

Quatra, who was just starting to eat his breakfast jumped when Kat slammed the door shut. Looking up and seeing him staring at her she smiled sheepishly and apologized. Slipping out of her boots she quickly made her own breakfast and sat in silence with him.

"So, what are you going to be doing?" He asked to break the silence.

"Work. Maybe look for a paying job outside the farm today."

"Oh I see, that sounds fun, any place in particular?"

"Not really, somewhere that's willing to offer more then eight an hour would be great though."

"What time were you planning on going?"

"Probably afternoon...Why? Do you need a ride into town?"

"Well...yes a cab is rather expensive." he joked. For the first time that day she had smiled. 'She looks so cute with those dimples...'

The truck ride there and back was uneventful. Sighing when she got into her room and shut the door she felt like crying...She felt like she did when her parents first died. Helpless. Laying face down across her bed she allowed the tears to fall. Like raindrops they darkened her usually bright,faded bedspread. A knock at the door startled her. Wiping her tears with her sweater she sat up saying,

"Come in!"

Quatra cautiously opened the door. Seeing Kat's red and puffy eyes put him at a slight alarm.

"Whats the matter?" He automatically asked.

"Its nothing, can I help you?" She sniffed.

"N-no, I was just wondering what you were doing up here, and if you would like some company?" Standing in the doorway awkwardly.

"Sure I'd love some company, just let me go freshen up." She said with obviously fake enthusiasm. 'any company is better then nothing I suppose, besides I would like to know more about him...'

"Yes of course, I'll just wait right here." He responded.

End of chapter, Lemme know what you think! Thanks!