Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing, its characters, nor do I own any part of the company that produced it or artist that created it. I do own Nyx as she is a character of my making.

Chapter 1: Something 's wrong with Duo

Duo threw his helmet down on the couch with a frustrated groan. Running his hand through his chestnut bangs, he sat on a nearby chair resting his head in the palm of his hand. His comrades who were standing close by watched their friend closely. It was rare that Duo was ever in a sour mood- very rare in fact, for of all of the five fighters, he was the one who joked and laughed the most- so there was without a doubt something bothering him. Quatre, being the pacifist that he is, went over and sat in the chair next to his chest fallen comrade. "Duo," he said, his voice just short above a whisper, asking the question that was on all of their minds, "what's going on? You haven't been acting like yourself lately. Would you like to talk to a friend?"

Duo turned slowly and looked into the genuine smiling face of his friend. "Thanks Quatre," Duo replied trying to return the smile, but failing, "but would you mind if I waited a little later to talk to you, just until I have my thoughts sorted out?"

Quatre, understanding the importance of solitude for a Gundam soldier, replied with a nod and another smile, "Sure take as long as you like. Just call me whenever you're ready."

Getting up from his seat, the blond gave Duo another much needed smile before heading to his quarters. Duo, however, needed more hope than smiles to return to his usual chipper mood.

After Duo ate a small dinner consisting of bread and gravy, he made his way to Quatre's quarters to take up his earlier offer. He did want someone to talk to about this and Quatre was the most understanding of them all. Duo lingered at the door for about five minutes until he knocked on the door. "Who is it?" Quatre's voice came from behind the door.

"I- It's me." Duo replied. There was silence and then the door opened, revealing Trowa sitting in Quatre's computer chair, Wufei sitting on the floor, and Heero leaning against the wall with his arms folded. Quatre was sitting on his bed with a book titled, 'Mobile Suit Mechanics' lying open and face down on his lap. He looked up and smiled at Duo. "Come in." He said wholeheartedly.

Stepping in slowly, Duo made his way to the edge of the blonde's bed and sat down. He looked around the room at the others and then back at Quatre. He really didn't want an audience when he had just come to talk to Quatre, but the more the merrier. Looking down at the dark blue bedspread, Duo began. "I guess I should tell you what's been happening lately huh?" He laughed nervously and released a heavy sigh, "Well it all started before I became a Preventer, back when I was just a little trouble making orphan living in Maxwell Church with Father Maxwell, Sister Helen, and the rest of the orphans.

"One particular day, I just so happened to be walking through the park heading back to the church, when I heard someone—a baby, crying. I wandered off the path I was walking on, and found a baby girl who was lying by the bodies of her dead parents. She was about one years old with dark brown hair, and the prettiest blue eyes I have ever seen. The thing I noticed first was the blood coming from her head all the way down to her shoulder. The whole left side of her body was blood stained, while the rest of her visible skin was covered in red bug bite marks.

"Well she noticed me, and got up stumbling over to me with her arms held up like she wanted me to pick her up. She even clutched at my clothes trying to climb up, anything so I wouldn't leave her alone." Duo drew in a shaky breath, and brushed his hand through his bangs.

"Did you take her with you?" Quatre inquired.

"Of course I did. I didn't want to at first. I mean I had learned how to tough it out on the streets at a young age, but it's weird. There was something about me finding this kid soon after I had just been taken in myself. I got this eerie feeling that I was meant to find her or something. I still don't know what to call it or how to explain it… Anyway, I picked her up, and she felt extremely light and skinny. Mind that I was just seven years old when I found her. I took her to Father Maxwell and he had her in the hospital because the church's medical abilities were limited. The girl was probably half- conscious by the time she got there. I had to wait in the waiting room during the check- up, but the Father told me everything. She hadn't eaten in about 3 days, mosquitos attacked her, the blood that was on her came from someone running a knife from her hairline down the side of her head to just below her shoulder, causing her to become anemic from blood loss and lack of iron."

"What about her parents?" Wufei asked.

"Oh those bastards," Duo exclaimed snapping his head up and turning to Wufei, "her parents, Garret and Holli Carter, committed suicide. By taking drug overdoses. The police found the suicide note in the dad's pocket. I wasn't able to read it under Father Maxwell's orders. They found the mom's fingerprints on the bloody knife used to cut her. A bunch of irresponsible lovebirds who couldn't contain themselves, and couldn't raise a kid because they weren't ready. And the worst part was they didn't even name her. This was related to me by the Father, but according to friends of the parents they were the type of people who wanted to wait until the kid grew up so they could give her a name that matched her personality.

"But I digress. Luckily she was able to stay at the orphanage with us, and Father Maxwell and Sister Helen let me name her. I named her Nyx. I practically raised her at the same time growing up myself and I adopted her as my little sister, vice versa. Until a day a couple arrived looking to adopt, and they came across spunky Nyx. They took her away about a week before the Maxwell Church Tragedy."

"That must've been so horrible for you…having to lose your sister and a week later your family, friends, and home." Quatre said sympathetically.

Duo shrugged. "Well when you say it like that, it sounds pretty bad. However there's always a bright side to things. I just comes in a compact form."

"What's that?"

"Nyx wasn't killed by the Alliance, and there's still a very slim chance I can see her again."

"Oh. How can you be so sure about that?"

"Well I had a friend who was adopted close to the home of the couple. So before I left I had him promise to keep an eye on her, and update me about every month or so. Hilde even offered to help out with the people she knew living in that area. The thing is, few days ago I heard from Hilde that Nyx was taken and moved to the L4 colony."

"Why?" Heero questioned. Duo had almost forgotten the others were in there.

"I don't know, all Trace, my friend, could tell Hilde was that there was something about a fire. Her foster parents were nowhere to be found so they came and took her away."

"Who?" Quatre asked. "Who took her away?"

Duo gripped his head in frustration and talked through his teeth. These were questions he had already asked himself since he heard, relaying them over when he didn't have a steady answer was beginning to stress him out, "I don't know, most likely those idiots from the Social Welfare Unit who think it's good to just pry and force kids into orphanages! Luckily Trace found out which colony they had taken her to or there was no chance I was ever going to see her again."

"Then, I'll help you find her." Heero mumbled, loud enough for all four Gundam pilots to turn to look at him, Duo's face registering mild shock.

"You will?"

"Sure I have nothing better to do." Heero smirked.

"I'll help, too." Quatre chimed in. "I really want to meet her. I mean a girl you practically raised? As scary as that sounds it is actually intriguing."

"Well since Wufei and I don't want to be left out on the search for the missing girl, I guess we could work with Hilde and try to contact some of the orphanages. Right Wufei?" Trowa said grinning at Wufei who glared at him.

"Right…bastard." He grumbled.

Duo blinked and flashed his trademark grin, "Thanks guys. What would I do if I didn't have amigos like you?"

"Kill everyone." They all said in unison.

"So what should we do now?" Quatre asked, excited about going on a rescue mission, even more so excited about meeting a relative of one of his friends.

"Well we should start with the information part first," Wufei suggested, "it'll make your search easier."

"You just want to do your part and get it over with." Trowa accused.

"Correct. That's exactly right."

"Well that is a good idea. Why search for someone if we don't have accurate information? Then it'll just be a waste of time." Quatre explained. "Duo what do you think we should do?"

Duo put a finger to his chin in his thinking pose. "Hm...I like Wufei's idea. Going after her without information is like driving a car with an empty gas tank. You go nowhere. So when you guys get the info Quatre, Heero, and I will race over to L4, find her, and..." He trailed off.

"And then what?"

"How old do you have to be to adopt?" He whispered.

"Thinking about becoming a daddy?" Heero chuckled.

"No I'm serious. I'm not going to abandon her wherever she is. I would feel terrible stopping by, saying 'hi' and leaving for another three years because I was too busy to come back."

"How about we think of this when we get to it." Quatre sighed. "This is getting complicated."

"Yeah...So let's get started." Duo grinned.