Author's Note: This is a story taken from the premises of Clara Barton's Relicum- I will remove this story upon Clara Barton's request.

::I do not Own Gundam Wing::

The Year as After Colony 201 – 6 years after the Eve Wars.

If this was life after the wars, Trowa wanted to live back in the war. Back to being a mercenary; on the battlefield fighting the Alliance, and Oz. He wanted the familiar feel of a cockpit seat belt over his chest and the feel of his weapons firing.

Not sitting down on his couch trying to explain to the woman that he had dated, or attempt to date the reasons why he couldn't take the next step with her. He had tried so hard to put the war behind him. But she wasn't battle trained, she didn't even know how to carry a gun, let alone fire one. She was an art director at a museum.

"You're what Trowa?" she asked and reached out. "I feel like I don't know anything about you and it has been a year… what's wrong?" Her voice was gentle and concerned.

He shook his head not sure how to explain it to her when his cell rang. He looked at the number and answered it. "Heero."

"New mission," he said simply.

"ETA twenty minutes," he replied.

"Copy," Heero answered and hung up the phone. The woman, Melissa, looked at him worried.

"Another mission?" she asked. Trowa nodded his head, "You know I worry about you when you go on these missions of yours. The war is over Trowa. You don't have to fight anymore; it's not your responsibility."

"It is," Trowa said.

"Trowa, I can't sit here and watch you leave on some mission, not knowing if you will be back," she said standing up with him, tears in her blue-purple eyes. "Trowa please don't leave again."

"I have too," Trowa whispered. He had wanted to end it with her. He knew that she didn't like him going on missions; he tried doing just the desk job like Heero. But it didn't work; he had spent his life holding a weapon.

"I won't…" she tried through tears, "I won't be here…" Trowa held her gaze, he nodded his head once. "Trowa you are okay with this? Do I mean that little?"

Trowa didn't feel like answering, so he didn't. Instead he turned grabbed his coat and headed towards his car to head to Preventers. The woman he left standing there. So he was an ass.

-break-

Walking into the hallway of the twenty-third floor of the Preventers building he paused when he saw Wufei standing outside the conference room. Trowa walked up beside him and looked through the window to see what he was looking at. He saw Heero Yuy sitting down looking over some papers and then he saw Duo Maxwell sitting beside him. His booted feet on the table and his hands behind his head, just like old times, only he didn't look like the fifteen year-old terrorist.

"Duo Maxwell?" Trowa asked, Wufei nodded his head.

"Don't know what he's here for," Wufei replied.

Trowa didn't reply as he walked into the room. He had remembered Heero making commits about him. They would be talking and Heero would say something Duo thought or said about the subject they had been on, so he had kept in contact with him. At least one of them did. Trowa hadn't really seen the former Deathscythe pilot since well, the ball the first year after the Eve Wars. If he thought about it, he hadn't really worked with or was around Duo that often during the wars.

"Heya Tro," Duo said as the man pulled out a chair and sat down in it.

"Hello Duo," Trowa greeted. "Why are you here?"

"That's what I would like to know," Wufei said as he walked into the room and took his seat.

"I'm allowed, chill out," Duo said and waved a hand of greeting to Wufei.

"That doesn't answer the question," Wufei replied. Trowa turned his head to look at him but didn't say anything as Duo shrugged his shoulders and placed his hands behind his head again.

Duo went to open his mouth when Commander Une walked in and quickly sat down and turned to the screen behind her. She clicked a button and a photo of a building and a man showed on the screen. The man was in his mid thirties from the look of him, with gray tinted brown hair and brown eyes. The building was a plain seven story colony building.

"This is Ryan De'Pual, leader and chairman of Zopedum Enterprises," she said and looked at the men around the table. "It is just rumor, but we must look into this. It's rumored that he had stored mobile suit and Gundam records and is currently trying to create a new fictional prototype of the massive weapons. The mission is to go in, find if this data is real, copy it, bring it back here so we can analyze it, and if it truly his dangerous, destroy it."

"So this is an undercover mission," Wufei said. Une nodded her head. "So why is he here?" He asked and pointed to Duo.

"Duo Maxwell is the leader of this covert operation. He's going to go as an engineer and go the direct route of looking around while his partner is going to take the more subtle way of getting information," Une explained. Wufei looked at Duo as he grinned at the Chinese man.

"Heero is his partner?" Trowa asked.

"No," Une said, "you are."

"Who am I going as?" he asked looking at the woman, but it was Duo who answered.

"Trophy wife… uh, husband, sorry Tro, gotta pretend ya swing that way…" Duo said with a wink.

"How is that suppose to help?" Wufei asked.

"Other than keeping Duo engaged and alive," Une pressed a button on her handheld remote. "This woman is Linda De'Pual, wife to Ryan, she is said to be the true back bone of the business. She's not really part of the business, and she holds social events for the wives and husbands of the higher ranking employees."

"What status is Duo?" Trowa asked.

"Master System Engineer," Duo answered. "I work directly with the systems and Mister De'Pual. I figure after a month or so he should trust me enough to look into more detailed areas of the systems."

"You're a Master Engineer?" Wufei asked.

"Yep, got my Doctorate to prove it," Duo answered him with a grin on his face.

"You went to school?" Wufei seemed shocked and truthfully so was Trowa. Heero didn't seem to be, neither was Une.

"Yep, EU," he said.

"Earth's University? How did you get there?" Wufei asked, now Trowa was truly shocked and his brows lifted.

"Tested in. It's amazing what ya learn when ya work with Sweepers and pilot a Gundam," Duo said with a wink. "Not so stupid now huh?"

Wufei crossed his arms and shook his head at Duo. "This mission may last for several months," Une said and pushed some papers towards Duo. "This is your marriage certificate, I need you both to sign it," she looked at Trowa who sat there with his arms folded over the table. "I also have a residence for you close to your place of work." She said and pushed keys towards Duo. He signed the paper and then pushed it and the pen to Trowa. "Trowa I have for you new ID and passport, you are now Trowa Maxwell for this mission." Trowa signed the certificate and then pushed it back towards Une. She would know what to do with it. Duo was looking over the information on the house they would be living at and then passed it to Trowa who looked it over.

It looked like one of Quatre's mansions; two stories a large yard and gate. "Can you afford this Maxwell?" Wufei asked as he looked at it.

"From what I was offered for the job I will be doing, I could have two of them," Duo answered. Wufei looked at him confused. "I was an ex-gundam pilot and I fought in two wars, I was part of Sweepers, they came towards me three times while I was going to school. I just said yes a week ago, I start next week. Heero and I talk so when I told him that Zopedum had reached out to me he asked me not to deny them right away. He talked to Une, and here we are."

Wufei nodded his head, at least happy with that answer. "Are you an official agent?" he asked. Duo nodded and pulled a badge out from his pocket.

"They cannot know this. Wufei and Heero are known Preventers. Trowa you are not that is why you were chosen for this mission." Une said watching Trowa. The former pilot seemed off. "Trowa are you alright?"

"Yeah buddy you look a little down," Duo agreed.

"I'm fine," he informed them and looked over the house and other information on Ryan and Linda De'Pual.

"Do you need to talk to Melissa?" Une asked.

"No," Trowa replied easily as he placed the pages together and then pushed them back towards Duo. The man looked at him; leaning forward with his chin resting on his hand he tapped his cheek with his index finger. Trowa met his gaze evenly.

"You two have a bit to talk about before your shuttle leaves tomorrow, make sure you are packed and ready to leave by then. Duo you are to keep in contact, Wufei will be your contact, you will not use Preventers number, Wufei has been issued a special phone for this mission and you will contact him through this phone. That information is in the folder. Heero you will keep an eye on the media and keep Wufei updated on any news." Une explained to them. "Dismissed."

Heero and Wufei stood up and left after Une through the doors. Trowa was looking over his new ID and passport. Duo leaned back in his chair and grinned wide at Trowa.

"How's it feel?" Duo asked.

Trowa looked up at him, "what feel?"

"Being married," Duo rolled his eyes and then stood up. Trowa shrugged. "Anything?"

"It's not a real marriage Duo," Trowa said and stood with him. Duo turned towards him as he pushed open the door to leave the room.

"Aw man, you take all the fun out of it," Duo pouted as they walked down the stairs. Even after years of peace, they still didn't trust elevators. "Who's Melissa?" Duo inquired as they walked out of the building and just stopped.

"I guess an ex-girlfriend," Trowa answered and looked at Duo.

"You guess? Oh man, that's bad Tro," Duo looked both ways. "Wanna get some bands?"

Trowa shrugged, "she didn't like me going on missions, she said she wasn't going to be at home when I got back," he informed Duo. It wasn't like he liked her anyway. "I guess it would help."

"Great! And then lunch or dinner or something," Duo followed Trowa to the parking lot. "Can I drive?" Trowa tossed the keys at him. "Really?" Duo questioned looking at the keys.

"It's not like trophy husbands drive," Trowa answered him and walked to the passenger's side. Duo unlocked the doors and got in. He laughed some as Trowa got in.

"Oh man, we're about the same height Tro," Duo said.

"I believe you are five centimeters taller now," Trowa countered. Duo was grinning as he chuckled. He drove out of Preventers parking lot and into the street. Trowa looked out the window watching the buildings and people pass by.

"I know we didn't really get to know each other during the war, but Heero says you're a good agent," Duo started as they waited at a light. Trowa turned to look at him. "Wufei also seems to like you. But I don't really know a whole lot about you. And we're married now…"

Trowa folded his arms and leaned back in the car seat. "I was a mercenary; I had no-name, until I became Trowa Barton and took over piloting the Gundam Heavyarms. Not much of a trophy husband," he informed Duo.

"Naw, you're perfect. A former war hero that also piloted a gundam, quite a catch if you ask me," Duo said, "and you're not bad looking either." Trowa didn't say anything else for a bit. "What kinda foods do you like?"

"Battle rations."

"Serious?" when there was no sound Duo asked differently, "what food other than battle rations?"

"I like pasta dishes," Trowa answered.

"Okay, I like Chinese food," Duo laughed a bit. "Umm, what is your favorite color?"

"Green."

"I guess mine is black, always had been," Duo pulled into a parking lot. "Animal?"

"Felines."

"I guess I could have guessed that too, I don't really have one, but cats are cool," he said as they got out of the car. "I guess you like turtle necks and jeans still huh?"

"Is there a point to these questions?" Trowa asked as he walked into the store from the door that Duo held open.

"Trying to get to know you a bit," Duo said as he let the door closed behind him. All around was glass cases filled with rings, pendants and many other things that were shiny.

"Hello," said a man from behind the counter. "How can I help you?"

"We're looking for wedding bands," Duo said and went to a case with bands.

"For your girlfriends?" the man asked.

"No, us," Duo answered easily. The man paused for a moment but nodded his head in understanding. He looked at Trowa who was looking at the cases over Duo's shoulder.

"Any style you are looking for?" he asked once he caught himself.

"Huh…"

"Something inlaid, nothing poking out it would bother during work, white gold, and simple," Trowa said, Duo looked over his shoulder at him, his braid fell off his shoulder as he lifted a brow.

"Catherine got married, has a child, little boy that is very protective of his mother, his name is Tristan," Trowa clarified.

"Who she get married to?" Duo asked.

"Maverick Jones, they still work at the circus."

The man had pulled out some rings for them to look at. They were simple, and elegant. They chose their bands. Duo said he'd pay for them, they had them sized and they walked out of the store with their wedding rings for the mission. Trowa got back into the passenger's seat as Duo got in to drive.

"Where is your house?" he asked. "You need to pack and we need to talk about the mission." Trowa gave him the address and Duo started off towards the house Trowa lived at.

"Do you like the colonies or Earth better?" Duo asked.

Trowa didn't answer for a minute, when Duo was about to ask again or answer with his own Trowa answered, "They both are nice, I prefer to live on Earth."

"I like Earth too, the stars sparkle," Duo said and then shook his head from a thought. "You may need to inform Cathy." Trowa nodded his head. "What song did we dance to at our wedding?"

"I don't know."

"Think of something Tro…"

Trowa shook his head, "A dream worth keeping," he answered. Duo looked at him curious. "It was one of the songs Catherine had picked out but didn't choose."

"You learned a lot of this wedding stuff from her huh?" Duo asked. Trowa nodded his head. Trowa turned his attention to the window again, it had been a while but he really didn't know what to say to Duo. He asked questions Trowa supplied the answers. This was all for a mission. It wasn't like this was going to be his life now. Duo seemed calmer then he did in the days of the war. Duo pulled into Trowa's drive way, and he noticed that Melissa's car was still there. Duo got out of the car and looked at the other one.

"Melissa still here?" he asked and kicked the tire of the other car.

"Seems so," Trowa replied and walked to the door and opened it. The woman stood up as soon as he entered and went to open her mouth when Duo walked in after him.

A Dream Worth Keeping – is by Sheena Easton and can be found here: .