AN: Not sure where this story is going. This is the untiltled mess that I've been working on just sort of letting my mind wander. The title was just kinda thrown in because I didn't wanna post something that said 'Untitled'... heh... Updates on this won't come as often as the others, this is just kind of a filler story to take up the time when I have a bit of writers block with the others. Lemmie know what you think, please R & R!

My Name Is…

Chapter One

It's been two years since his life, as he had always known it, ended. There was the offer for a position in the Preventers, which had been offered to all of them. But, knowing the line of work Commander Une had in mind for them, he didn't believe it would help him evolve past being a soldier. So what did Heero Yuy do with his time? For the past two years… absolutely jack shit… He didn't know how to blend into civilian life; he hadn't expected to survive the wars. Odin Lowe had raised him to be an assassin. J had simply reinforced those teachings along with his preparation for Operation: Meteor. At least J had tried to instill some sense of humanity into him, despite his orders commanding otherwise. Still, J never prepared him to face civilian life once everything was done with. And that proved to Heero that even J didn't expect him to survive the war.

He lived modestly off of funds he and the other pilots had pilfered from OZ during the war, surprising him that he made it last for two years. But they were now running low and Heero knew he'd have to have a job before they ran out. The only problem… He wasn't the only ex-soldier needing a job and anything that had been available after the war, that didn't require an education, weren't available anymore. He DID need an education, he came to the conclusion. He needed not just that piece of paper saying he knew his shit, but he needed the chance to observe and interact with human beings. College was the perfect place for that observation. He was eighteen, round about… since he didn't know his actual birth date, and that's what normal eighteen-year-olds do, right?

Forging a birth certificate, high school diploma, and transcript was easy, he'd done it before, but he just couldn't do it with the name he had become so accustomed to using. Heero Yuy had to go… Even though he erased all files regarding that alias at schools he had used for cover during the war, someone was bound to make the connection, eventually. And there's also the fact of who originally held the name. The pilot known as Zero-One didn't feel he deserved to be named after a pacifist leader.

He stared at the computer screen for what seemed like an eternity, thinking. He'd had other aliases before, but they were from a pre-conceived list supplied by Dr. J, with complete histories attached to them. He'd never had to make one up on his own. He was not a very imaginative person, hence he'd used Duo's name once. He didn't think it wise to do that again. Besides, last he heard, Duo was making a name for himself in the music business, if you could call it music.

He flexed his fingers for a moment as they hovered over the keyboard. His dark blue eyes broke away from the screen for a moment to study a photograph in a small frame sitting next to his monitor. In it, Heero stood with his usual stoic mask, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips, while Duo stood beside him, an arm casually draped across Heero's shoulders, wearing his typical grin, flashing an over-enthusiastic peace sign at the camera. Heero felt a smile cross his face. All of the pilots had become good friends, and Heero had been proud to call them that. But Duo Maxwell was very likely his best friend among them.

Heero leaned back in his chair after picking up the frame. He ran one hair through his dark hair as he stared at the photograph, remembering a conversation, one-sided, that is, they had had shortly before Heero 'disappeared'. Heero had always known Duo had named himself. A lot of kids who were orphaned during the war did that. But he confided in Heero how he came up with his name, honoring two people who had meant a lot to Duo and were vital players in the person he became.

But he had a problem in using that logic. The people who had been vital in creating the pilot that became Heero Yuy didn't really mean that much to him. J and Odin both were the closest thing to 'father figures' he knew but he didn't love them as fathers. The Gundam pilots were the only ones who meant anything to him, even Noin, Relena, and Zechs to a point. But he could hardly use their names; they weren't common enough to NOT make the connection. This shouldn't be that difficult of a decision! But then… this would be the name he used for the rest of his life, it had to mean something…

He leaned forward, replacing this photograph in its spot beside his computer, looking back to the screen. He positioned his fingers over the keyboard, letting them hover for another minute before deciding. He took deliberate pauses while typing in the name into the application form to one of L1's universities.

Odin J Maxwell…

Heero, or rather Odin, made an important decision as he leaned against the wall next to the door of the room his first class was scheduled in. He was getting a car this weekend. Some little stunt with the city bus having engine trouble caused him to be two minutes late to his first class, and this was apparently one of those professors that didn't tolerate tardiness as the door was locked. But, he wasn't the only one late, two other students stood outside. One boy stood a good six inches taller than Odin, his hair just as dark, its curls barely visible underneath the navy baseball cap. Standing beside him was a boy about Odin's height, his shoulder-length hair, tied back in a loose ponytail, was nearly as red as the bright T-shirt he wore. The taller of the two boys, Cade told him that Doctor Collier, the professor, would open the door in a few minutes to let them in, letting this be known as their only warning.

When he had arrived, the two were deep into what seemed to be a continued discussion from their previous class, apparently colonial history. The topic of the conversation had been the wars, more specifically, the role of the Gundams. Odin hadn't really paid attention to their talk until he heard that word. His brow rose when he did, and he couldn't help himself from getting involved, though he mainly asked questions about what had been discussed in their class. And he was very interested in the answers, downright amused at some of them. Apparently there was a theory about the pilots… something about artificial intelligence, which wasn't too far from the truth in ZERO's case… But there was another one about aliens, and that had all three of them laughing.

Odin definitely liked Cade and his friend, Jacen. The conversation had been enjoyable, and Odin couldn't believe he became as involved with it as he did. Of course, he didn't reveal any information about his, or rather Heero's, involvement. But shock almost betrayed him as he heard something from them he never thought he'd hear.

"If I ever get a chance to meet one of those guys," Cade told him, "I'm going to shake his hand with a great big thanks…"

Odin's brow rose again, relying on Heero's training to keep his face passive as he felt an odd warm feeling in his chest. Other than false gratitude from a lot of politicians, the only sincere words of thanks the Gundam pilots, at least Heero, had ever received were from some of the soldiers, though few, and Relena, of course.

Jacen, having read a question in Odin's brow, completed his friend's sentence. "For not giving up on us… the colonies…"

Odin found himself smiling with a nod. "I'm sure they would appreciate that…" He most certainly did.

It was ridiculously often that she was running late, but the first day of classes? Oh, come on! She knew she should have attended freshmen orientation the week before so she knew where the hell she was going, but damn it if her step-father hadn't dragged her to that stupid conference on L4 last week.

Although the week hadn't been a total loss, her step-dad HAD compensated her by getting her those tickets and backstage passes to see, insert gasp and squeal here, Duo Maxwell! Oh, he was a hunk, and that hair! He even let her touch it! And, of all the people who could have gone with her to the concert… Quatre Winner! She and Quatre had been friends for about a year, but part of her wondered if that night was a set-up, her mother playing matchmaker again, not that she really minded. After a week of torture, she'd spent an entire evening with two of the most gorgeous men in the colonies! Well worth it…

Yes, Aria Kane let her mind wander often. And most of the time it was responsible for her running late. But damn it, if you spent time in the presence of Duo Maxwell and Quatre Winner, wouldn't you daydream about them?

She came to a skidding halt in front of the door she was sure she was supposed to be, but it seemed she wasn't the only one running late. Wonderful, this was one of those teachers who locked the door when class started. Three other students stood in the hallway. She knew Cade and Jacen, she'd gone to school with them nearly all their lives, and she nearly bowled the third student down. He was quick to catch her, and his hands remain clasped on her shoulders as she took a moment to steady herself and gain her breath.

She looked up to thank him and apologize but she couldn't say anything as her green eyes met his cool gaze, barely visible underneath untamed dark chocolate hair. She had never seen such eyes, DAMN were they blue… deep, deep blue… and so focused… intense… God, it could be so easy to get lost in those eyes.

She should know… she did… she was completely oblivious to everything else until he spoke… and what a voice to match those eyes!

"You alright?"

She didn't answer for a moment, just sort of awed at the tone of his voice, just as cool as his eyes, and so deep. The only thing that kept her from melting into a puddle on the floor was his hands still on her shoulders.

Pull it together, girl! He's just a guy, just another classmate! Hell, this is probably the only place you'll ever see him, but what if it's not? What's he going to think about you? Silly girl, you're standing here gaping! Get it together!

She nodded, still having a hard time finding her voice, just watching him while he finally released her as the door opened. She stumbled just a moment before standing straight up, thankful that he had turned around by that point, but she could swear she saw a smile in those gorgeous eyes before he did.

"Let this be a lesson," the man said as he stepped into the hallway. "This door locks when class starts at 9:05. Be on time or don't come at all. This will be your only warning." He stepped back inside, leaving the door open so the four students could enter.

The young man Aria had nearly ran over picked up his backpack off the floor where he had dropped it when he caught her and gestured for her to enter the room ahead of him after the other two students had walked through. And damn it that was definitely a smile in those eyes!

She offered him a shy, apologetic smile as she softly said, "Thank you." She quickly turned her attention to the classroom as she walked through the door, fighting the blush she felt creeping into her cheeks. She found an empty seat and slid into it, pulling the bill of her cap further down over her blushing face as he sat down beside her. This was NOT a good way to start the first day of school.

"Way to make a first impression, Aria," she heard a whisper behind her and she shot a glare over her shoulder to Cade as he smiled at her. Oh, she hated that guy, sometimes…

Could she get any more flushed? Her head must look like a giant tomato by now. She put her head in her hands as she heard his and Jacen's whispered chuckles. They would never let her live this down… Not that it was a first; she'd certainly had more embarrassing moments. Hell, half of the L1 cluster's entire political ring has seen her naked baby pictures! No thanks to her mother…

Aria chanced a glance over to her neighbor. She thought she had felt his eyes on her, but he was staring down to his laptop computer now. She reached into her bag and pulled out her notebook, setting it on top of her desk as she dug around her bag for a pen. Her eyes darted back up to his, thinking for a moment she was crazy. She definitely felt his eyes on her, but they remained focused on his computer screen. She rose a brow, noticing the corner of his lips turned ever so slightly upwards in a very, very small smile. Weird…