Chapter 1
*'Take care of him for me.' That was all it said. The teen panicked, yanking the door open he stared about the street madly.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! Come back!!" His cry echoed on through the street, forever unanswered.*
Chapter 1
Duo yawned slightly and opened the door, looking for the morning paper, he of course didn't read it, usually Wufei would read it, or Quatra. Trowa and Heero usually just took a glance at the paper, then moved on. The house was small, cramped. The lifestyle of the poor. Cause that's what the Gundam Pilots were, poor. The only way they had any money was through the Government grant given to all soldiers of the wars for their services. No one would hire a Pilot for a job, especially the Gundam Pilots. It was sad really. So, Heero and friends just accepted it and tried to find new ways to live. Quatra couldn't ask his sisters, it was too shameful, and the pilots agreed with him. Trowa refused to go to the circus for help, he had left them long ago, and even knowing they would still help him, decided against it. Heero COULD contact Relena, but he was still a target to remaining OZ soldiers, and that would put her in danger. Wufei's clan had been killed and Duo had no family left. In truth, they were doomed. Duo looked down, grabbed the paper and slammed the door shut behind him as he read it, suddenly his eyes widened.
"HOLY CRAP!!" Entering the kitchen, he threw down the paper onto the table in disgust.
"Look at that." He snarled. Heero, half out of curiosity looked at the paper, his eyes widened and he grabbed the thing off the table. Wufei looked over his shoulder.
"Ship carrying shipment of DC, the diamond core material, collided with head on with collision of yacht. Estimated over 6000 dead. DC is a well known material that is highly reactive and extremely dangerous. What idiots." Wufei muttered. Quatra paled slightly.
"Colony area of crash, area BA-4." The Arab suddenly lunged for the phone.
"Colony L4 is in that area!" Grabbing the portable, he rushed out of there crazily. Trowa shook his head, no doubt he was calling to see if his sisters were all right, suddenly there was a knock on the door, Duo shook his head.
"I got it. He walked over to the door and opened it, looking around he saw nothing, then he looked down and gasped. What the HECK?!
The girl was young, possibly 14. Her dark hair was almost the matching shade of Heero's, long slender legs were revealed as her short jeans covered her thighs barely, her white sweatshirt was clean and warm. In her arms she cuddled a young boy. He had the same color of hair with blonde streaks, he was lean and average height for his age, his bangs were so messy that they stuck out in every direction. He wore a plain pair of tan shorts and a white shirt. Both of them were bare foot.
"GUYS!! HELP!!" Duo cried out at a lost for words. Heero came running up and stared down at the two kids. The girl, who was awoken by Duo's shout looked up while rubbing an eye.
"Are we there already?" She mumbled without thinking. Seeing Duo, she suddenly blinked very hard and stared wildly around.
"Where are we?!" She whispered. Her light brown eyes wide with confusion and fear. They held the look of innocence. The boy, who was startled by her cry, looked up.
"What's the matter Mayona? Is something wrong?" He asked, his voice heavy with sleep. His aqua colored eyes showed bleary confusion and sleepiness. The girl's attitude changed immediately.
"No, no. Everything's alright. That's all, go back to sleep. You must need it." The boy shook his head.
"It's okay." He said struggling out of her arms. She released him and stood up staring at the pilots. Silence. No one had no idea what to say. Finally, Heero spoke up.
"Who are you?" He asked softly. The girl swallowed.
"I . . . . . ." She hesitated. "I don't know."
~~~
Wufei observed the two youths, who were sitting in what they had called the living room. They were playing with each other, rock, paper, and scissors. They seemed happy enough. Duo sighed.
"So what do we do? Apparently, neither of them, besides their names, know who they are. They only know that they're brother and sister, and that their names are Mayona and Ben. Everything else is a complete blank for them." Quatra sighed.
"What do we do? We can't just dump them back onto the street, and with the money we have, it's not like we can keep them." The Arab said heavily. Trowa shook his head.
"We'll have to give them to an orphanage." Duo blanched.
"Poor kids. It's not easy going to a place like that. The girl will have it hard especially. She's too old, adults want the young ones, the more learning. She's going to watch all those others being adopted while she's left in the shadows. It's painful." Heero stared at them, memories of his own life all too well known. He hated his past life, half of the reason for his personality was because of his childhood. He looked sadly at the kids, almost seeing their future. The girl, taken in by no one, thrown out of the orphanage when she turned 18. Left to wandering the streets forever as a homeless. The boy, separated from his sister. What kind of home would he get? One with kind parents? Or one with cruel guardians? If they were kind, he'd forget about his sister and his past life, living in a false happiness, knowing that these people weren't really his flesh and blood. What about cruel? He'd either rebel and become a bully. Or he'd crawl into a corner and hide there for the rest of his life, a shy and pushover. Was this a life he wanted for them? Did he even have a choice? Duo seemed to be thinking the same thing. Suddenly he leapt to his feet and slammed his hands down onto the table.
"NO! An orphanage is not an option. I won't let these kids turn out like us." Quatra looked at him sadly.
"We don't have a choice. They can't stay with us. We're targeted by military factions, not to mention just normal public. I have a hard enough time just going grocery shopping! We can't keep them, they'll be hunted down at school. Hurt and picked on. We can't keep them Duo. They have to go to the orphanage." Duo sighed in a defeated manner and slumped into his chair.
"I know. I'm sorry, just feeling so helpless makes me . . . . . .argh!!"
"I know." Trowa mumbled closing his eyes and bringing a hand up to his head to steady his migraine.
"I feel so sorry for th-"
"It's okay! Really!" A voice interrupted. All five turned to face the girl, she had stopped playing with Ben just in time to hear what was going to happen. They all paled. She gave a half hearted smile.
"It's alright! Really." She thought of some way to convince the 5 that she could survive on her own with Ben. "We've been to lots of orphanages! We know what-" She gulped hastily and tried to cover it. They all saw it however. "What'll happen! It's okay!" But far from being consoled, they felt even more pity and worry. All off them were on the same train of thought.
'They've already been to orphanages? And they were still abandoned? Why? They seem so nice, and quiet. Given the chance I bet those kids could become honor students.' Duo cleared his throat and looked meaningfully and Quatra, who turned the look to Heero, Heero passed it to Trowa and Trowa to Wufei. All decided at once. Turning to the girl, Trowa smiled.
"Actually, we've decided that we'll keep you. We'll file the report immediately." The girl stared, it took a few moments for that to click, then she jumped with joy.
"You mean it?!" They nodded, Duo was smiling, a feeling he hadn't felt in years came flooding back, the feeling of pure joy and happiness for a good deed. The girl ran up and hugged Duo and Heero at the same time. She kissed them both on the cheek.
"Thank you!!" Turning to Quatra, Trowa and Wufei she hugged them all as well, all three received a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you SO much! I promise I'll work hard! We won't let you down!!" Running into the living room she yelled out
"BEN! We CAN STAY!!"
"WHAT?! YAA HOOO!!!" The two interlinked hands and began to dance in a circle laughing freely. Duo came out of his shocked stupor and began to laugh. Heero himself chuckled. Trowa stood up.
"Maybe, this won't be so bad." He commented while grabbing his jacket. The girl stared at him as he passed.
"Where are you going mister?" Ben asked still laughing. Trowa smiled.
"Well, if I'm going to keep you, I have to go file some reports." The girl smiled then ran up to him.
"Then I'll come, you'll need me for all that stuff. Besides, I have an idea." She said and walked onto the pavement with him. Getting into the car, Trowa drove off and set off towards the city hall.
~~~
"Look, I just want to adopt two orphans, what's the BIG DEAL?!" Trowa demanded of the clerk. The woman sighed.
"Sir, two kids just showing up, then the people there want to adopt them? That's sounds odd sir." She said nervously, Trowa sighed. She was 'siring' him too much. He hated that, it made him feel old.
"No one else wanted them obviously, why can't you just file a report and have it done?"
"That's against the law . . . . sir. I mean, what if they're runaways? They might just be lying sir. And besides, what if they're kidnapped and the kidnapper just decided to get rid of them? Then what?" Trowa growled.
"Then where would you keep them? In this rusty old bucket of tin and wood? Or in social services care? The orphanage? I'm just saying that we're giving them a place to stay until you find whoever you're looking for." The woman was silent for a few moments. Then she sighed and looked up at him.
"Alright then sir. I've always had a soft spot for soldiers. I'll file a report immediately." Turning to the girl she smiled. "Alright, what is your name and your brother's?" Trowa frowned a bit.*
"Mayona and Ben miss. I don't know what our last names are." She nodded.
"Alright, now we'll need to take a few blood tests, I'll call you and give you the schedule. Phone number?" Trowa answered this one.
"414-9464." (A/N: Guess what? Those last 4 numbers, they spell 'Wing' on the phone. Lol, sorry. Corny, but I was bored.) The woman wrote this onto a file and smiled.
"There you are, I'll be calling you in a few days." Mayona grinned and bowed politely.
"Thank you so much!" Trowa stared. How could she be so mature, yet seem so innocent? The oddest mixture he had seen in a while.
~~~
"I'm sorry, but could you let me out here? I was watching the way back ho- I mean, to your house. I know how to get back." Mayona said calmly. She was looking out the window as Trowa drove by the main street. They were only a few blocks from home. She was looking at a restaurant. He stared.
"Do you want something to eat?" She shook her head.
"No, I . . . . . . . I have to go the bathroom." She quickly lied. Trowa however, took no notice and let her out.
"I'll wait for you." She stared.
"You don't have to!"
"I'll just wait." He said calmly. She stared, then nodded and ran in. A few moments later she came out and smiled apologetically.
"Thanks."
"No problem." He said calmly and drove off.
~~~
"We're going to wait a about a week for you to get settled in, then we'll be sending you off for school." Quatra remarked to them at the dinner table. Oddly enough, neither of them was hungry. Mayona grinned.
"Okay. But guess what! When I went out earlier, I met a girl and she lives about a block from here! She told me how to get there and everything. She asked if I wanted to come over later, can I?" Trowa frowned a bit. When had she done that? Quatra smiled.
"Sure. We'll watch Ben." Mayona grinned.
"Thank you!!" He smiled back at her, then smacked his head.
"Oh drat, we never told you our names did we? I'm Quatra."
"Heero."
"Trowa."
"Duo."
"Wufei." The two youths grinned at all of them. Wufei suddenly felt this long urge to wrap them up and keep them safe and warm. It wasn't fair that this world was still too harsh, he sighed.
"Well, okay. Have a good time May, and I think it's time to give you a bath and send you to bed Ben." The youth was about to protest when May shot him a warning glance, he shut his mouth pouting.
"Okay." He mumbled. Duo laughed.
"Chill man, it's only 8, let him stay up and we'll play a few games." Ben immediately brightened. "But only if you take your bath." Duo warned him. Ben jumped out of his seat, grabbed Wufei's arm and began pulling.
"Then let's hurry up already!!"
"What time do you want me home?" May asked looking at Heero. He smiled.
"Try to be home before 9:30 okay?"
"Okay!" She hugged him quickly, then the others, before running out the front door and closing it behind her. That done, she sighed in relief.
'Thank heaven they fell for that, I hate lying to them but . . . I have no choice.'
~~~
"Cheater." Ben grumbled out frustrated, Trowa laughed.
"It's only poker." Ben smiled ruefully. Trowa laughed again. The door opened with a tiny click and shut just as quietly. Duo looked up.
"You don't have to tip toe around this house May, it's alright." May jumped.
"What? Oh, sorry, I'm just used to people being asleep at this hour when I come home, sleeping or, um . . mad." She suddenly frowned, not in anger, but in plain as day fear. She recovered with an insane grin.
"So, what have you been doing for the past hour or so?" Ben scowled.
"Losing at cards." May laughed.
"C'mon then, time to get you to sleep." May said gently while picking up her suddenly yawning brother. Depositing him on the bed, he fell asleep quickly. Heero watched her from the doorway, he couldn't explain it, but he suddenly felt protective of them, as if they were two little gems he wanted to hide from everyone else. Then he frowned, something was up with Trowa, he had left earlier in the night to visit someone, Heero wondered vaguely who. As soon as May shut the door she turned to Heero.
"Yes?" She asked curiously. Heero smiled.
"C'mon, you still have to take a bath. May frowned, then nodded.
"Okay." Sighing, she moved into the bathroom, and before Heero could leave, she took of her sweater by pulling it over her head, what he saw made him pale considerably. She looked at him, and all too late, realized her mistake. He grabbed her arm and looked it over. It was littered with bruises, all dark and recent.
"I-it's nothing! Really!"
"Nothing my foot." He growled. "Who did this to you?" He demanded grabbing her other arm, that too was littered with bruises. He checked her neck, it had been covered by the cuff of her sweater, now that the garment was gone, it revealed little specks of bruises on her neck, hand made. She sighed, and to Heero's shock, tears began to fall. He looked her in the eye.
"Who?" Taking a deep but shaky breath she sighed.
"It was the place we were before this."
"So you do remember."
"A little, though I wish I didn't. There was this man who took us in, I think we had run away from our real home, I don't know why. Or I can't remember, but this man, he took us in, the first day he was very nice, feeding us, taking us on trips to parks and stuff like that. The second night, he was a little weird, kept getting close to me and putting his arm around my waist, I didn't like it, and I told him, he seemed angry. The third night . ." She gave a tiny sob. "After Ben was put to sleep, he . . . came to my room and began to . . . put his hands on me, I didn't like it, so I hit him and tried to run, but he caught me. He grabbed my arm, and my neck, that's where these came from." She murmured, gesturing to her marks. Heero paled further.
"Did he . . . hurt you?" May shook her head.
"Not the way you mean. Before he could do anything else, the door broke open and people came in, I remember someone grabbing me away from him, he was hit by a . . . a gun I think, and I remember shouting, I think I was screaming for Ben, I was scared, then someone puts this cloth or something over my mouth and . . . . . then I wake up here. On your porch." She shivered slightly with inner fear. What if they hated her now? Because she had been, well . . . . touched like that? Arms suddenly enveloped her, Heero held her close, she blinked in surprise.
"I swear, that no one will EVER hurt you again. Ever." He was trembling, not with fear, but anger. He wanted to find the guy who did this and slit his throat, but not before skinning him and then dropping a bag of salt all over him. May shivered in his grasp. Heero held her like that, for a few minutes, before Duo walked in.
"Hey Heero, I need to- whoa! What happened?!" He demanded, suddenly at May's side. She shook her head.
"Duo, we can talk outside." Heero said firmly, letting go of May he looked her in the eye.
"Now, take a bath, or shower, whatever you want, and then go to bed." He smiled gently. "We'll deal with this in the morning. You're safe here May, don't worry about that." May nodded, a frail smile replacing her terror. Heero wiped a tear away with his thumb, then carefully kissed her forehead.
"Okay." Duo just stood there, like a complete idiot. Grabbing his braid, Heero yanked him out.
"OW!! HEERO! THAT HURTS!" As soon as Heero shut the door, May giggled a bit. Maybe their new family wasn't so bad after all.
~~~
Trowa followed that woman from earlier today. It really bugged him.
~ Flashback ~
Turning to the girl she smiled. "Alright, what is your name and your brother's?" Trowa frowned a bit.*
~ End ~
As he recalled, he hadn't told the woman that May and the child were brother and sister, it might have just been a lucky guess, but Trowa didn't believe in luck anymore. The woman stopped outside her car when the phone rang.
"Hello?" Trowa stayed deftly still, as a Gundam Pilot, one of his specialties, was heightened hearing.
"Is it done?"
"Yes." The woman replied. "I'll see to it that the children remain in their care. Away from 'him'" Trowa frowned, 'him'? Who was that?
"Great, thank you Holly."
"It was my pleasure Nani." Trowa's eyes narrowed. Nani? A name to remember.
"So how did they look? Were they okay?"
"I only saw Mayona. But she looked happy enough, and the man she was with seemed friendly, but then again, so did that other man."
"Don't screw up again. It's their lives on the line, and ours too. If we mess up, we'll have the entire Broden company on our backs."
"I know, but what if-!"
"No ifs, we have to keep them away from 'him'."
"Nani Otasawa! Let me speak, I think they'll be alright this time, I left them with the . . . . . Gundam Pilots." Silence for a few moments.
"You left them . . . . . with TERRORISTS??"
"They're not, don't you watch the news?! Relena Dorlian pardoned them, the peace we have is thanks to them! They saved me once even! They're not terrorists!" Silence. Then a large sigh.
"Alright Holly. I trust you, you'll deliver the packages tonight then?"
"As soon as I hang up."
"Okay, thank you."
"As I said before, it was a pleasure." The woman hung up, stuffed her cell phone into her purse, then opened her car door and got in. Trowa quickly pulled up the hood of his jacket as she drove by. As soon as her lights were gone, he pulled it off. So, whatever was going on, the Broden company was involved. As far as he knew, the company was responsible for making technology, some of their scientists had even had a hand in making the Mobile Doll system. Interesting, but what could such a large company want with two children?
~~~
The man slammed his fist onto the table.
"You lost them!?" The man quivered.
"Yes sir, sorry sir." Another man stood from his chair.
"Perhaps we should put this on the news, if we do, someone might see them and-!"
"And our company is put into danger because my reputation is at stake. No, we can't afford to put them on the news. NANI!" The door opened admitting a lean and slender female. She had waist long brown hair that was half tied into a braid by a black ribbon, and the other half slid freely. A deep blue leg hugging skirt was accompanied by a white shirt and a matching deep blue jacket that covered her upper body, a green scarf hung around her neck, clasped with a golden broach.
"Yes Mr. Broden?"
"I want you and a squad of police to find them. Bring those brats back now!" She bowed.
"Yes sir." Turning away, she scowled as she shut the door. 'They're never going back to your hands. Even if I have to kill myself to keep them from you.'
~~~
Trowa related what he had discovered to the others, while Heero related what he had discovered.
"So, the puzzle is revealing itself." Wufei murmured. "Alright, these kids obviously have a connection to the Broden Company, but for some reason, this 'Holly' and 'Nani' are working on keeping them away from some guy. They tried hiding him with a man before, but clearly this man found them and took them away again, yet somehow, they ended up on our porch and in our care to keep this man away from him." Trowa nodded.
"Sounds about right. There was also something about packages being delivered." Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Duo raised an eyebrow.
"Well, how cliché." He commented, quick as a flash, he ran forward and opened the door. A woman stood there, clearly shocked by Duo's speed.
"Um. . ." She trailed off. Trowa nodded. Taking the two dufflebags from her, Heero motioned her inside. One she was sitting down, Wufei guarded the door, making sure she didn't try to break for it, Duo was leaning on the wall, watching with a grin, Heero sat across from her, and Trowa, accompanied by Quatra, was rifling through the bags. Trowa opened one marked 'Ben'. Then stared, it was full of clothes and hygiene products. That plus and envelope containing a check marked 6000 credits. He stared. Quatra squeaked audibly. He had been going through the one marked 'May', along with finding some things he shouldn't have, he also came across a similar check for 7000 credits. They both stared at her. She sighed.
"Okay, what is so special about these kids that you have to hide them from the Broden company?" Heero demanded. She sighed.
"So, you figured that much out already. Darn. Then again, you guys aren't pilots for nothing." Duo grinned.
"Compliment noted, please explain." The woman named Holly turned to them.
"You see, May and Ben, they're special. The president of the Broden company, James Broden, was on a dig in Egypt once, a trip for advertising you see, he came across something, something from the days BEYOND the ice age. And it wasn't bones. It was a scripture. Few people know what it says, but for some reason, after he came back, he began working on a project, a project that was highly secretive. It also involved DC liquid." Heero paled.
"DC liquid?!" She nodded.
"Diamond Core, supposedly the most dangerous liquid of all. A liquid taken from Diamonds themselves, so rare, that one drops goes for 6000 credits. Estimated even, it's supposedly even illegal, by the fact that anyone who touches it, become mutated." Holly nodded carefully.
"I don't have access to that knowledge of the project, but . . . . . later on, it was completed. And he showed it to his ring of people. He thought they would be impressed, amazed and awed, but instead, they were disgusted, revolted by it. He went into rage and fired them all, replacing them with more people he deemed 'trustworthy', it turns out, he took two children . . . a boy and a girl." She whispered suddenly, watching their reactions. "He took those two children, I'm sure you know which children I'm talking about."
"May and Ben." Trowa responded quietly. Holly sighed.
"He took May and Ben, and he . . . . . he laced their blood with." She broke out crying. "He laced their blood with DC."
Duo's cup crashed to the floor.
Disclaimer: Not mine, I do not own.
*'Take care of him for me.' That was all it said. The teen panicked, yanking the door open he stared about the street madly.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! Come back!!" His cry echoed on through the street, forever unanswered.*
Chapter 1
Duo yawned slightly and opened the door, looking for the morning paper, he of course didn't read it, usually Wufei would read it, or Quatra. Trowa and Heero usually just took a glance at the paper, then moved on. The house was small, cramped. The lifestyle of the poor. Cause that's what the Gundam Pilots were, poor. The only way they had any money was through the Government grant given to all soldiers of the wars for their services. No one would hire a Pilot for a job, especially the Gundam Pilots. It was sad really. So, Heero and friends just accepted it and tried to find new ways to live. Quatra couldn't ask his sisters, it was too shameful, and the pilots agreed with him. Trowa refused to go to the circus for help, he had left them long ago, and even knowing they would still help him, decided against it. Heero COULD contact Relena, but he was still a target to remaining OZ soldiers, and that would put her in danger. Wufei's clan had been killed and Duo had no family left. In truth, they were doomed. Duo looked down, grabbed the paper and slammed the door shut behind him as he read it, suddenly his eyes widened.
"HOLY CRAP!!" Entering the kitchen, he threw down the paper onto the table in disgust.
"Look at that." He snarled. Heero, half out of curiosity looked at the paper, his eyes widened and he grabbed the thing off the table. Wufei looked over his shoulder.
"Ship carrying shipment of DC, the diamond core material, collided with head on with collision of yacht. Estimated over 6000 dead. DC is a well known material that is highly reactive and extremely dangerous. What idiots." Wufei muttered. Quatra paled slightly.
"Colony area of crash, area BA-4." The Arab suddenly lunged for the phone.
"Colony L4 is in that area!" Grabbing the portable, he rushed out of there crazily. Trowa shook his head, no doubt he was calling to see if his sisters were all right, suddenly there was a knock on the door, Duo shook his head.
"I got it. He walked over to the door and opened it, looking around he saw nothing, then he looked down and gasped. What the HECK?!
The girl was young, possibly 14. Her dark hair was almost the matching shade of Heero's, long slender legs were revealed as her short jeans covered her thighs barely, her white sweatshirt was clean and warm. In her arms she cuddled a young boy. He had the same color of hair with blonde streaks, he was lean and average height for his age, his bangs were so messy that they stuck out in every direction. He wore a plain pair of tan shorts and a white shirt. Both of them were bare foot.
"GUYS!! HELP!!" Duo cried out at a lost for words. Heero came running up and stared down at the two kids. The girl, who was awoken by Duo's shout looked up while rubbing an eye.
"Are we there already?" She mumbled without thinking. Seeing Duo, she suddenly blinked very hard and stared wildly around.
"Where are we?!" She whispered. Her light brown eyes wide with confusion and fear. They held the look of innocence. The boy, who was startled by her cry, looked up.
"What's the matter Mayona? Is something wrong?" He asked, his voice heavy with sleep. His aqua colored eyes showed bleary confusion and sleepiness. The girl's attitude changed immediately.
"No, no. Everything's alright. That's all, go back to sleep. You must need it." The boy shook his head.
"It's okay." He said struggling out of her arms. She released him and stood up staring at the pilots. Silence. No one had no idea what to say. Finally, Heero spoke up.
"Who are you?" He asked softly. The girl swallowed.
"I . . . . . ." She hesitated. "I don't know."
~~~
Wufei observed the two youths, who were sitting in what they had called the living room. They were playing with each other, rock, paper, and scissors. They seemed happy enough. Duo sighed.
"So what do we do? Apparently, neither of them, besides their names, know who they are. They only know that they're brother and sister, and that their names are Mayona and Ben. Everything else is a complete blank for them." Quatra sighed.
"What do we do? We can't just dump them back onto the street, and with the money we have, it's not like we can keep them." The Arab said heavily. Trowa shook his head.
"We'll have to give them to an orphanage." Duo blanched.
"Poor kids. It's not easy going to a place like that. The girl will have it hard especially. She's too old, adults want the young ones, the more learning. She's going to watch all those others being adopted while she's left in the shadows. It's painful." Heero stared at them, memories of his own life all too well known. He hated his past life, half of the reason for his personality was because of his childhood. He looked sadly at the kids, almost seeing their future. The girl, taken in by no one, thrown out of the orphanage when she turned 18. Left to wandering the streets forever as a homeless. The boy, separated from his sister. What kind of home would he get? One with kind parents? Or one with cruel guardians? If they were kind, he'd forget about his sister and his past life, living in a false happiness, knowing that these people weren't really his flesh and blood. What about cruel? He'd either rebel and become a bully. Or he'd crawl into a corner and hide there for the rest of his life, a shy and pushover. Was this a life he wanted for them? Did he even have a choice? Duo seemed to be thinking the same thing. Suddenly he leapt to his feet and slammed his hands down onto the table.
"NO! An orphanage is not an option. I won't let these kids turn out like us." Quatra looked at him sadly.
"We don't have a choice. They can't stay with us. We're targeted by military factions, not to mention just normal public. I have a hard enough time just going grocery shopping! We can't keep them, they'll be hunted down at school. Hurt and picked on. We can't keep them Duo. They have to go to the orphanage." Duo sighed in a defeated manner and slumped into his chair.
"I know. I'm sorry, just feeling so helpless makes me . . . . . .argh!!"
"I know." Trowa mumbled closing his eyes and bringing a hand up to his head to steady his migraine.
"I feel so sorry for th-"
"It's okay! Really!" A voice interrupted. All five turned to face the girl, she had stopped playing with Ben just in time to hear what was going to happen. They all paled. She gave a half hearted smile.
"It's alright! Really." She thought of some way to convince the 5 that she could survive on her own with Ben. "We've been to lots of orphanages! We know what-" She gulped hastily and tried to cover it. They all saw it however. "What'll happen! It's okay!" But far from being consoled, they felt even more pity and worry. All off them were on the same train of thought.
'They've already been to orphanages? And they were still abandoned? Why? They seem so nice, and quiet. Given the chance I bet those kids could become honor students.' Duo cleared his throat and looked meaningfully and Quatra, who turned the look to Heero, Heero passed it to Trowa and Trowa to Wufei. All decided at once. Turning to the girl, Trowa smiled.
"Actually, we've decided that we'll keep you. We'll file the report immediately." The girl stared, it took a few moments for that to click, then she jumped with joy.
"You mean it?!" They nodded, Duo was smiling, a feeling he hadn't felt in years came flooding back, the feeling of pure joy and happiness for a good deed. The girl ran up and hugged Duo and Heero at the same time. She kissed them both on the cheek.
"Thank you!!" Turning to Quatra, Trowa and Wufei she hugged them all as well, all three received a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you SO much! I promise I'll work hard! We won't let you down!!" Running into the living room she yelled out
"BEN! We CAN STAY!!"
"WHAT?! YAA HOOO!!!" The two interlinked hands and began to dance in a circle laughing freely. Duo came out of his shocked stupor and began to laugh. Heero himself chuckled. Trowa stood up.
"Maybe, this won't be so bad." He commented while grabbing his jacket. The girl stared at him as he passed.
"Where are you going mister?" Ben asked still laughing. Trowa smiled.
"Well, if I'm going to keep you, I have to go file some reports." The girl smiled then ran up to him.
"Then I'll come, you'll need me for all that stuff. Besides, I have an idea." She said and walked onto the pavement with him. Getting into the car, Trowa drove off and set off towards the city hall.
~~~
"Look, I just want to adopt two orphans, what's the BIG DEAL?!" Trowa demanded of the clerk. The woman sighed.
"Sir, two kids just showing up, then the people there want to adopt them? That's sounds odd sir." She said nervously, Trowa sighed. She was 'siring' him too much. He hated that, it made him feel old.
"No one else wanted them obviously, why can't you just file a report and have it done?"
"That's against the law . . . . sir. I mean, what if they're runaways? They might just be lying sir. And besides, what if they're kidnapped and the kidnapper just decided to get rid of them? Then what?" Trowa growled.
"Then where would you keep them? In this rusty old bucket of tin and wood? Or in social services care? The orphanage? I'm just saying that we're giving them a place to stay until you find whoever you're looking for." The woman was silent for a few moments. Then she sighed and looked up at him.
"Alright then sir. I've always had a soft spot for soldiers. I'll file a report immediately." Turning to the girl she smiled. "Alright, what is your name and your brother's?" Trowa frowned a bit.*
"Mayona and Ben miss. I don't know what our last names are." She nodded.
"Alright, now we'll need to take a few blood tests, I'll call you and give you the schedule. Phone number?" Trowa answered this one.
"414-9464." (A/N: Guess what? Those last 4 numbers, they spell 'Wing' on the phone. Lol, sorry. Corny, but I was bored.) The woman wrote this onto a file and smiled.
"There you are, I'll be calling you in a few days." Mayona grinned and bowed politely.
"Thank you so much!" Trowa stared. How could she be so mature, yet seem so innocent? The oddest mixture he had seen in a while.
~~~
"I'm sorry, but could you let me out here? I was watching the way back ho- I mean, to your house. I know how to get back." Mayona said calmly. She was looking out the window as Trowa drove by the main street. They were only a few blocks from home. She was looking at a restaurant. He stared.
"Do you want something to eat?" She shook her head.
"No, I . . . . . . . I have to go the bathroom." She quickly lied. Trowa however, took no notice and let her out.
"I'll wait for you." She stared.
"You don't have to!"
"I'll just wait." He said calmly. She stared, then nodded and ran in. A few moments later she came out and smiled apologetically.
"Thanks."
"No problem." He said calmly and drove off.
~~~
"We're going to wait a about a week for you to get settled in, then we'll be sending you off for school." Quatra remarked to them at the dinner table. Oddly enough, neither of them was hungry. Mayona grinned.
"Okay. But guess what! When I went out earlier, I met a girl and she lives about a block from here! She told me how to get there and everything. She asked if I wanted to come over later, can I?" Trowa frowned a bit. When had she done that? Quatra smiled.
"Sure. We'll watch Ben." Mayona grinned.
"Thank you!!" He smiled back at her, then smacked his head.
"Oh drat, we never told you our names did we? I'm Quatra."
"Heero."
"Trowa."
"Duo."
"Wufei." The two youths grinned at all of them. Wufei suddenly felt this long urge to wrap them up and keep them safe and warm. It wasn't fair that this world was still too harsh, he sighed.
"Well, okay. Have a good time May, and I think it's time to give you a bath and send you to bed Ben." The youth was about to protest when May shot him a warning glance, he shut his mouth pouting.
"Okay." He mumbled. Duo laughed.
"Chill man, it's only 8, let him stay up and we'll play a few games." Ben immediately brightened. "But only if you take your bath." Duo warned him. Ben jumped out of his seat, grabbed Wufei's arm and began pulling.
"Then let's hurry up already!!"
"What time do you want me home?" May asked looking at Heero. He smiled.
"Try to be home before 9:30 okay?"
"Okay!" She hugged him quickly, then the others, before running out the front door and closing it behind her. That done, she sighed in relief.
'Thank heaven they fell for that, I hate lying to them but . . . I have no choice.'
~~~
"Cheater." Ben grumbled out frustrated, Trowa laughed.
"It's only poker." Ben smiled ruefully. Trowa laughed again. The door opened with a tiny click and shut just as quietly. Duo looked up.
"You don't have to tip toe around this house May, it's alright." May jumped.
"What? Oh, sorry, I'm just used to people being asleep at this hour when I come home, sleeping or, um . . mad." She suddenly frowned, not in anger, but in plain as day fear. She recovered with an insane grin.
"So, what have you been doing for the past hour or so?" Ben scowled.
"Losing at cards." May laughed.
"C'mon then, time to get you to sleep." May said gently while picking up her suddenly yawning brother. Depositing him on the bed, he fell asleep quickly. Heero watched her from the doorway, he couldn't explain it, but he suddenly felt protective of them, as if they were two little gems he wanted to hide from everyone else. Then he frowned, something was up with Trowa, he had left earlier in the night to visit someone, Heero wondered vaguely who. As soon as May shut the door she turned to Heero.
"Yes?" She asked curiously. Heero smiled.
"C'mon, you still have to take a bath. May frowned, then nodded.
"Okay." Sighing, she moved into the bathroom, and before Heero could leave, she took of her sweater by pulling it over her head, what he saw made him pale considerably. She looked at him, and all too late, realized her mistake. He grabbed her arm and looked it over. It was littered with bruises, all dark and recent.
"I-it's nothing! Really!"
"Nothing my foot." He growled. "Who did this to you?" He demanded grabbing her other arm, that too was littered with bruises. He checked her neck, it had been covered by the cuff of her sweater, now that the garment was gone, it revealed little specks of bruises on her neck, hand made. She sighed, and to Heero's shock, tears began to fall. He looked her in the eye.
"Who?" Taking a deep but shaky breath she sighed.
"It was the place we were before this."
"So you do remember."
"A little, though I wish I didn't. There was this man who took us in, I think we had run away from our real home, I don't know why. Or I can't remember, but this man, he took us in, the first day he was very nice, feeding us, taking us on trips to parks and stuff like that. The second night, he was a little weird, kept getting close to me and putting his arm around my waist, I didn't like it, and I told him, he seemed angry. The third night . ." She gave a tiny sob. "After Ben was put to sleep, he . . . came to my room and began to . . . put his hands on me, I didn't like it, so I hit him and tried to run, but he caught me. He grabbed my arm, and my neck, that's where these came from." She murmured, gesturing to her marks. Heero paled further.
"Did he . . . hurt you?" May shook her head.
"Not the way you mean. Before he could do anything else, the door broke open and people came in, I remember someone grabbing me away from him, he was hit by a . . . a gun I think, and I remember shouting, I think I was screaming for Ben, I was scared, then someone puts this cloth or something over my mouth and . . . . . then I wake up here. On your porch." She shivered slightly with inner fear. What if they hated her now? Because she had been, well . . . . touched like that? Arms suddenly enveloped her, Heero held her close, she blinked in surprise.
"I swear, that no one will EVER hurt you again. Ever." He was trembling, not with fear, but anger. He wanted to find the guy who did this and slit his throat, but not before skinning him and then dropping a bag of salt all over him. May shivered in his grasp. Heero held her like that, for a few minutes, before Duo walked in.
"Hey Heero, I need to- whoa! What happened?!" He demanded, suddenly at May's side. She shook her head.
"Duo, we can talk outside." Heero said firmly, letting go of May he looked her in the eye.
"Now, take a bath, or shower, whatever you want, and then go to bed." He smiled gently. "We'll deal with this in the morning. You're safe here May, don't worry about that." May nodded, a frail smile replacing her terror. Heero wiped a tear away with his thumb, then carefully kissed her forehead.
"Okay." Duo just stood there, like a complete idiot. Grabbing his braid, Heero yanked him out.
"OW!! HEERO! THAT HURTS!" As soon as Heero shut the door, May giggled a bit. Maybe their new family wasn't so bad after all.
~~~
Trowa followed that woman from earlier today. It really bugged him.
~ Flashback ~
Turning to the girl she smiled. "Alright, what is your name and your brother's?" Trowa frowned a bit.*
~ End ~
As he recalled, he hadn't told the woman that May and the child were brother and sister, it might have just been a lucky guess, but Trowa didn't believe in luck anymore. The woman stopped outside her car when the phone rang.
"Hello?" Trowa stayed deftly still, as a Gundam Pilot, one of his specialties, was heightened hearing.
"Is it done?"
"Yes." The woman replied. "I'll see to it that the children remain in their care. Away from 'him'" Trowa frowned, 'him'? Who was that?
"Great, thank you Holly."
"It was my pleasure Nani." Trowa's eyes narrowed. Nani? A name to remember.
"So how did they look? Were they okay?"
"I only saw Mayona. But she looked happy enough, and the man she was with seemed friendly, but then again, so did that other man."
"Don't screw up again. It's their lives on the line, and ours too. If we mess up, we'll have the entire Broden company on our backs."
"I know, but what if-!"
"No ifs, we have to keep them away from 'him'."
"Nani Otasawa! Let me speak, I think they'll be alright this time, I left them with the . . . . . Gundam Pilots." Silence for a few moments.
"You left them . . . . . with TERRORISTS??"
"They're not, don't you watch the news?! Relena Dorlian pardoned them, the peace we have is thanks to them! They saved me once even! They're not terrorists!" Silence. Then a large sigh.
"Alright Holly. I trust you, you'll deliver the packages tonight then?"
"As soon as I hang up."
"Okay, thank you."
"As I said before, it was a pleasure." The woman hung up, stuffed her cell phone into her purse, then opened her car door and got in. Trowa quickly pulled up the hood of his jacket as she drove by. As soon as her lights were gone, he pulled it off. So, whatever was going on, the Broden company was involved. As far as he knew, the company was responsible for making technology, some of their scientists had even had a hand in making the Mobile Doll system. Interesting, but what could such a large company want with two children?
~~~
The man slammed his fist onto the table.
"You lost them!?" The man quivered.
"Yes sir, sorry sir." Another man stood from his chair.
"Perhaps we should put this on the news, if we do, someone might see them and-!"
"And our company is put into danger because my reputation is at stake. No, we can't afford to put them on the news. NANI!" The door opened admitting a lean and slender female. She had waist long brown hair that was half tied into a braid by a black ribbon, and the other half slid freely. A deep blue leg hugging skirt was accompanied by a white shirt and a matching deep blue jacket that covered her upper body, a green scarf hung around her neck, clasped with a golden broach.
"Yes Mr. Broden?"
"I want you and a squad of police to find them. Bring those brats back now!" She bowed.
"Yes sir." Turning away, she scowled as she shut the door. 'They're never going back to your hands. Even if I have to kill myself to keep them from you.'
~~~
Trowa related what he had discovered to the others, while Heero related what he had discovered.
"So, the puzzle is revealing itself." Wufei murmured. "Alright, these kids obviously have a connection to the Broden Company, but for some reason, this 'Holly' and 'Nani' are working on keeping them away from some guy. They tried hiding him with a man before, but clearly this man found them and took them away again, yet somehow, they ended up on our porch and in our care to keep this man away from him." Trowa nodded.
"Sounds about right. There was also something about packages being delivered." Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Duo raised an eyebrow.
"Well, how cliché." He commented, quick as a flash, he ran forward and opened the door. A woman stood there, clearly shocked by Duo's speed.
"Um. . ." She trailed off. Trowa nodded. Taking the two dufflebags from her, Heero motioned her inside. One she was sitting down, Wufei guarded the door, making sure she didn't try to break for it, Duo was leaning on the wall, watching with a grin, Heero sat across from her, and Trowa, accompanied by Quatra, was rifling through the bags. Trowa opened one marked 'Ben'. Then stared, it was full of clothes and hygiene products. That plus and envelope containing a check marked 6000 credits. He stared. Quatra squeaked audibly. He had been going through the one marked 'May', along with finding some things he shouldn't have, he also came across a similar check for 7000 credits. They both stared at her. She sighed.
"Okay, what is so special about these kids that you have to hide them from the Broden company?" Heero demanded. She sighed.
"So, you figured that much out already. Darn. Then again, you guys aren't pilots for nothing." Duo grinned.
"Compliment noted, please explain." The woman named Holly turned to them.
"You see, May and Ben, they're special. The president of the Broden company, James Broden, was on a dig in Egypt once, a trip for advertising you see, he came across something, something from the days BEYOND the ice age. And it wasn't bones. It was a scripture. Few people know what it says, but for some reason, after he came back, he began working on a project, a project that was highly secretive. It also involved DC liquid." Heero paled.
"DC liquid?!" She nodded.
"Diamond Core, supposedly the most dangerous liquid of all. A liquid taken from Diamonds themselves, so rare, that one drops goes for 6000 credits. Estimated even, it's supposedly even illegal, by the fact that anyone who touches it, become mutated." Holly nodded carefully.
"I don't have access to that knowledge of the project, but . . . . . later on, it was completed. And he showed it to his ring of people. He thought they would be impressed, amazed and awed, but instead, they were disgusted, revolted by it. He went into rage and fired them all, replacing them with more people he deemed 'trustworthy', it turns out, he took two children . . . a boy and a girl." She whispered suddenly, watching their reactions. "He took those two children, I'm sure you know which children I'm talking about."
"May and Ben." Trowa responded quietly. Holly sighed.
"He took May and Ben, and he . . . . . he laced their blood with." She broke out crying. "He laced their blood with DC."
Duo's cup crashed to the floor.
Disclaimer: Not mine, I do not own.