Duo was sitting kicking his heels against the church wall when Quatre found him later than day while the sun was disappearing from the sky

I don't own Gundam Wing. The fun I would have if I did.

A Church

Duo was sitting kicking his heels against the church wall when Quatre found him later than day while the sun was disappearing from the sky. The blond had cocked his head to the side and frowned at the rather morbid image that was one Duo Maxwell sitting almost childlike against the ruins of what appeared to be a large church. Cathedral sorry, he wasn't quite fully versed in all about the Catholic Church but knew by the sheer size of the area it must have been the ruined cities Cathedral. A city destroyed by OZ many years previously. Duo did not notice his presence until he had climbed some of the rubble and blocked out the last remnants of light from the sky that had been flitting gently against Duo's figure. Bright blue eyes had turned in surprise for a brief moment, alive and sparkling before they darkened once again and the jokers mask was enforced with a wide grin.

"What the hell are you doing out here Quatre?" Quatre looked at the young man as if he had grown a third head, wondering perhaps if he had somehow contracted brief amnesia. Duo winced at the look and Quatre guessed he had gotten his message across when the smile fell from his face and he turned away to look down below. Wufei had begun the argument but it had been Duo whom had finished it, storming out from Une's office three days ago in fury. No one could find him anywhere and through concern, Quatre had been contacted. He had done his own research and although he had found out information he wished he hadn't, he was quite glad to find the young man before he spread his wings and decided life would be better without him. Quatre shivered at the thought of his friend lying dead underground. The church was ascended higher up than the entranceway, almost like a fort and it was a good six or so metres down to the ground from where Quatre stood shakily and Duo sat comfortably. Quatre stumbled as he prepared to sit but an arm steadied him and he shuffled downwards neatly beside the young man whom was watching him morbidly.

"Wufei didn't mean what he said"

"Which part? That I had no honour? That I was a brat? That I got too personal? Or that I was too incompetent to do my job? That Une, Heero and Trowa too think this way" eyes flickered away from Quatre's own and he frowned, feeling that this was indeed a fragile situation.

"Well…you are a brat" eyes flickered over to Quatre angrily and with a hint of a saying in the air, pot calling the kettle black was such a saying that came to mind. Quatre kicked his head back and grinned at this. "Yes, not a big a brat as me but still a brat but you do have honour, you're definitely not incompetent because you joke around and getting personal" Quatre took a deep breath, "is probably not the best option but it is the most human one. The others should do well to remember this" Duo was nodding gently.

"I take it you know I used to live here? If you managed to figure out I'd be here" Quatre was silent for a few moments before he nodded.

"It hurts to loose the people you love" Quatre spoke gently and looked; briefly, terribly guilty and sad before the look had disappeared and the young businessman façade was back once again. "I couldn't bear to loose you"

"Always the sentimental one" Duo laughed and leaned back to look up at the sky, leaning back on the rubble of the church as he did so. Quatre smirked as Duo turned to face him.

"Someone needs to be. If we left it up to Wufei, Trowa and Heero the world might forget what love and care was. There learning though, slowly. Sometimes they say things that shock me. Like the other day, Trowa came to the office to visit. I asked him why and he had shrugged, saying that he had an inconsolable need to see me and followed it through" Duo was smirking at him and Quatre's brows furrowed in confusion as to what the man was smirking at. He was shaking his head when he turned back to look at the now darkened sky.

"Father Maxwell and Sister Helen were the people I treasured more than anyone in the world" he smiled gently, "Sister Helen helped me braid my hair and Father Maxwell gave me confidence that I wasn't just a nobody, that I wasn't just a mere thief who deserved nothing" Duo turned and smiled honestly at Quatre, "and he was right. I do deserve my friends and my life. I think we've thought hard enough to get here Quatre" Quatre reached over and wrapped an arm loosely around Duo's square shoulders.

"And now you treasure us more than anything?" Quatre grinned. Duo raised an eyebrow.

"Don't push me on the sentimental heartfelt crap Quatre" he mumbled and Quatre couldn't help but laugh. Duo soon joined in and their laughter and conversation echoed throughout the night until the sun rose once again.