Wing of Mysterious Play

by Karin-sama

Trowa and Heero have crashed on a strange new planet. . .and they want Trowa's circus partner to be their priestess?

1. The Gundam Pilot

Wing of Mysterious Play
by: Karin-sama
for: Kelly-chan

Disclaimer: Otay, so none of the Gundam Wing characters used in this fic belong to me. *sigh* all right, so none of the Fushigi Yugi characters do either. But Ayden is mine, sort of. She is based on my little sister, who is just cute. ^_~

Summary and Notes: I tried to stick close to both of the series' original plots, making it easier for myself. Mick was Ayden's original partner who died previous to this story due to a long illness. He was her adopted father in a way. I tried to make Ayden as little like Miaka as possible. . .for obvious reasons. . .so don't be surprised if she actually does something useful! But she's not a Mary Sue either. . .or at least I tried not to make her so.

Part 1: The Gundam Pilot

Though the costume she put on was of the brightest green and blue, covered in glittery sequins, her mood was somber. Truly, she had done this so many times it should be completely routine, but all of her performances had been during the day. Traditionally, the night shows were done by Mick since she was new to the profession and could easily make a mistake during a night show. So many things could interfere with sight and thereby interfere with aim. She looked at herself intently as she slipped her hair into a glittery ponytail and applied her makeup. If she was going to do this she had to be completely calm, placing all nervousness away and all memories of Mick as well. He had been dead for a month now. Besides, Ayden, she told herself, it was you who told the ringmaster you were ready for this anyway. Taking a deep breath she smiled at the reflection in the mirror her famous stage smile. She would be fine, that was certain, but who would be chosen as her target? She and Mick had been a team, using each other, but now that he was gone it was just her. Oh well, she was sure the manager had taken care of it. The only real problem would be if that person could trust her enough at first glance to hold perfectly still. Giving herself one final lookover she shut off the light and stepped out into the night air in search of Joshua, the ringmaster.

The fierce roar of one of the lions turned her course a bit. Lions didn't do that for no reason at all. A boy of her age was standing in front of the cage, reaching his hand through the bars. He was a good looking boy, from what she could tell, slender and tall. His hair was brown, cut short with the bangs falling in the eye that was on her side. She was just stepping forward to warn him when the lion came to rub affectionately against the boy's outstretched fingers. Shocked, she gasped before she knew what she was doing Calmly, the mysterious boy turned to look at her.

"How did you do that?" Was all she could say, pointing to the cage.

"All beasts will turn tame when one has no fear," he answered in the toneless voice of someone who is unused to speech. She was about to ask his name, but the ringmaster interrupted her question.

"Ayden," he hailed her, coming to join them. "I was looking for you, but I see you have found him on your own anyway."

"Indeed, sir, but who is he?"

"Why, your new partner of course. He's tall enough for Mick's old costume wouldn't you say?" A sudden memory choked her as she forced herself to study the boy. The only thing she could do was nod. "Splendid. Get him ready then." With a wave, he was off to see to other business that needed attention before the show. It was only after he was gone that she realized she still did not know her own partner's name.

"Come on then," she whispered when she could, gesturing for him to follow her. He stared at her with his intense eyes before moving to join her.

"By the way," she said only to break the silence. They were a team now, and if they were to trust each other there couldn't be these tense moments between them. "He never mentioned your name."

"I don't have a name. Call me Nanashi if you like." For a second she started to laugh until she realized that he was being deadly serious. She cut her laugh short covering it with a cough.

"Well, I don't need a real name but you must have some name. If anything you need one for circus purposes."

"Trowa," he said slowly. "Trowa Barton." She nodded.

"That will do nicely." She allowed him into her trailer, switching the light on with a practiced hand as she entered behind him. They spent another awkward minute as she rummaged for Mick's costume. It matched hers in color, but of course the style was different. A blue and white checked shirt that tucked into green clown pants. The boy slipped off his shirt in the dim lamplight, revealing pale skin marred by a couple scars. Ayden was about to ask about them, but decided not to at the last second. She didn't want to ruin this type of silence. Trowa did her the great honor of folding his black turtleneck before putting on the checkered one. She stood motionless, as if afraid that he would remember she was still there by moving and deprive her of admiring his form. If it weren't for the scars, he would be perfect in every physical detail. Mysterious boy, she thought as she studied him. He didn't seem to mind her staring, or if he did he made a good show of pretending that it didn't bother him. He pulled the yellow suspender straps over his shoulders, bending over almost immediately to slide into the pointed soft yellow shoes. He brushed the costume down twice, then oddly reached out his hand to her. She looked at it stupidly for a moment, wondering why he would do such a thing. Taking a step closer, she brought her hand out to take his, thinking that was what he wanted. Sharply, he threw his hand to his side turning from her.

"What?" She asked him, her hand still stretched out.

"The gloves?" She looked down at her hands. She was holding the white gloves with the flared yellow cuffs that went with his costume. That was what he had been reaching for. Certain that her face was scarlet, she turned her gaze down and handed him the gloves. He snatched them as if he was afraid the touch of her fingers would burn him somehow. Even though she couldn't see it, she knew that he was giving her a puzzled look as he tugged the gloves into place. "There," he muttered looking himself over, and the word brought her courage back to her enough to look him over herself. If anyone could look good in a clown costume, it was Trowa Barton, she said to herself as she forced her breathing to remain calm.

"One more thing," she said, getting oddly excited about the mystery of it all. He tensed when she touched his shoulder on the way past to her dressing table, but the contact was enough for her. Propped against the lamp was Mick's mask, or rather, the half mask that he wore during all his performances whether he was throwing or being thrown at. The face gave her its half smile as she picked it up with gentle fingers. "Wear this," she handed it to him as if it were part of a sacred ritual. "So they will never know you are afraid."

"Perhaps you should be the one to wear it then." He raised an eyebrow at her trembling hand. To hide it she sweeped her arm upward to pat her ponytail.

"Can't," she said in a voice that was strong despite what this boy was putting her through without even seeming to realize it. "It's not my costume. It. . .it belongs to you now." As if searching for some important meaning, Trowa stared into the mask for a long moment before fastening it into place. Then he looked at her, really looked at her, his eyes boring deep into her soul and beyond. The effect was eerie, but she found that she couldn't turn away. His eyes were green she finally noticed, but it was behind those eyes that was what was scaring her. Scaring her? Yes, she was terrified, and her hands were trembling besides.

"Don't look at me like that, especially during a performance," she warned him. There was no way on this earth that she would be able to throw knives at his head if he was looking at her that way. He muttered something that seemed to be an apology, but she couldn't tell, but at least he looked away. She was just wondering what to say next, and not having much success, when the ringmaster knocked on her door and peeped his head in.

"Oh, fabulous!" He cried when he saw Trowa, who gave his boss a dramatic bow for the full effect. "Absolutely fabulous! And don't you two look wonderful together as well." He nodded several times as the new team looked at each other. "You ready for this Ayden?"

"Yes sir."

"How about you boy?" Trowa nodded as if answering the gravest question he had ever been asked. Not that it was surprising that he answered that way. Everything he did was so serious. He made the clown outfit seem serious for crying out loud.

"Fabulous! Come on then." The elder man grabbed Ayden's hand in his excitement of actually having a night performance with a blademaster again and dragged her out of the trailer with Trowa following behind. They were led to the enormous tent lit with many spotlights, and that was where they were left as the ringmaster stepped out to greet his audience.

"Now, don't be nervous," Ayden said as she twisted her own gloves. He looked at her hands before raising an eyebrow. "I suppose you don't get nervous though do you?"

"No."

"No, of course not. No one gets nervous except me do they?" She bit her lip, twisting her gloves ever tighter, not really expecting an answer. She could feel him looking at her, probably wondering if she was going to kill him with her first toss.

"Ayden?" It took her a second to realize it was Trowa talking to her. "I think we're in this bit aren't we?"

"So we are. All we need is our horse." It didn't take long to find him. They had named him Dundee as a joke, though it wasn't funny anymore. He was a beautiful Arabian black gelding decked out in their blue and green. "We ride him together."

"I noticed." Of course he had. He noticed everything. He probably could see every paint knick in their carousel, every rust spot in the animal cages. He saw what she never even paid attention to, she was sure. You may as well stop asking him questions or giving him suggestions, she told herself as she watched him leap into the double saddle, he knows everything. Or at least he seemed to. Holding the sequined reins, he leaned down to grab her by the waist and pull her up to sit in front of him. He tensed as she settled against him, but she ignored it. He would have to get used to it eventually. Odd that he didn't seem to care if she threw knives at his head, yet he couldn't relax if she was near him. For the hundredth time since she had met him she thought to herself just how strange he was.

This was the part of the show that she liked best. The night was fresh and the crowd eager to see their dreams come true in front of them. Before they rode out behind the trapeze artists and jugglers, Ayden elbowed her partner.

"Smile," she hissed through her own grinning jaws, bringing up her arm to wave to the crowd. As they trotted through the three rings, Ayden picked out the girls in the audience who looked back at her with admiration. The ones who would go to sleep that night after telling their parents that when they grew up they wanted to be just like her. She always made an effort to give each of them a special smile and an enthusiastic wave all their own. As she was waving at a particularly vibrant youth in the second row, Trowa bent his head down so it rested over her shoulder and waved to the girl as well, blowing her a kiss as they went around the circle. She turned to flash him a smile of encouragement.

"That's it, Trowa." Surprisingly, he flushed and sat up again, finishing the parade like a soldier at attention. Although he lifted her down from the saddle like the gentleman he was, she could tell he felt humiliated by the action. He certainly was strange, or maybe he was just very shy. She didn't have time to ponder his mysteries, though. She was going to have to throw knives at him in four acts, and she wanted him calm and prepared.

"Have you ever done this before?" She questioned him after he had handed Dundee's reins over to a hired circus hand.

"No." She pursed her lips, wondering why he'd been taken on if he didn't even know what he was doing.

"Okay, I'll start teaching you to throw at targets tomorrow then." She thought she saw him smirk, but decided to dismiss it as a shadow. "For tonight, be a little dramatic. I'm going to fasten you to a target. All you have to do is hold perfectly still no matter how close I hit. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Then I release you after my bow. You bow then take my hand and we bow together. Not hard."

"Understood." He sounded like he was accepting orders for an assassination.

"We'll work out a more elaborate choreography a bit later when we're more comfortable. Are you nervous?"

"No."

"Of course not. I would be." He stroked his fingers across her cheek, bringing her eyes up from her contemplation of the trampled grass.

"Come on," he offered his arm as escort like she was wearing evening finery instead of gaudy circus garb. "We'd better be ready." Lightly resting her fingertips on his arm so she wouldn't make him uncomfortable, she allowed him to lead her to the enormous main tent and the cheering.

They stood together watching the horse trainer, and then a clown act for comic relief before the ringmaster came forward to introduce them.

"Tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I have a most splendid act prepared for your enjoyment. You will stare in shocked wonder as the lady Ayden. ." she stepped out and a spotlight flashed, seeming to set every sequin in her entire costume gleaming brilliantly. Placing one hand on her hip, she raised the other high for dramatic effect. "By using her incredible talents and hawk eye aim will throw twelve, and you may count them, razor sharp daggers at a target. Not just any target, ladies and gentlemen, but one of breathing flesh and blood. May I introduce you to the brave Trowa Barton." The crowd erupted into applause as Trowa stepped out to join Ayden. He crossed his arms in front of him, looking very brave indeed. Using overly exaggerated motions so they would be visible, Ayden led Trowa to the wooden wheel that served as her target.

"Remember," she whispered as she fastened his arms out to either side. "Don't move no matter how close they seem." He nodded gravely as she stepped backward thirty paces. That was as far as she dared. Even at that distance, the spotlights were blinding as they followed her back, also creating shadows that would make aiming that much more difficult. While she had been attaching Trowa to the wooden circle, her bag of knives had been set down where she would be standing.

She knelt, picking up the first three daggers. As she showed them to the crowd a hush fell over the tent. If the parade was her favorite then this was her least favorite. That horrid death silence where all eyes were watching her intently, wondering what would happen. A silence so complete she could hear her own pulse pounding a rhythm in her ears. She considered the glittering steel in her fingers, listening to the dead quiet for a long minute. With a sharp intake of breath, she flung all three daggers at once. Each one sinking deep into the wood in various places, but none more than one half inch from Trowa's motionless form. The boy hadn't even jumped. He was good. As she picked her next three and presented them to the audience she wondered how he would do if she aimed a bit higher. The crowd held its breath as one when she released the knives, flying near his torso. He never moved. She was panting with fear now, her heart pounding its cadence so hard and fast she had to fight to pick up the next trio. These three were not thrown at once, but one at a time in rapid succession. The audience gasped as each one hit the mark, but Trowa never flinched. She looked into his face, the worst thing she could have done with three knives left to be thrown. There was no fear in his eyes, there was no emotion of any kind in his eyes. It was the same stare he had given her earlier that night and it had the same effect as before. She almost dropped her last set of daggers as her hands trembled. "Don't look at me like that, Trowa," she whispered, attempting to aim. She tossed her daggers fiercely, but she was off. Her hand cupped her mouth to cut off her own scream as the blade swiped the side of Trowa's skull. His eyes closed and he slumped a little, mostly supported by the wheel. The ringmaster, Joshua, stepped out, ready to soothe the audience, many of which had gotten to their feet. Ayden ran to her partner's side, feeling incredibly guilty. Blood ran down the left side of his face. Almost crying, she released his arms, supporting him as he collapsed. When she was about to scream for help, he unclosed his eyes, pushing himself away from her assistance. Slowly, he walked to the center of the ring, accompanied by the dead quiet of the shocked audience. When he got there, he reached a hand back for Ayden who came into the spotlight to take it. He lifted their joined hands high, and bowed deeply. The crowd exploded into applause, relief apparent by the fierceness of their clapping. They bowed again, then turned to leave the tent, Ayden refusing to let go of his hand. In a daze, he followed her to her trailer. Blood was dripping down to the costume now and his hair was matted with it.

"Sit down," she commanded, gesturing to the bed. Staring at nothing, he did as he was told. As she got a washcloth she wondered if he was going into shock. "I'm sorry," she whispered when she came back only to find he hadn't moved. "You gave me that look, and my aim went off." She spoke only to ease the tension as she cleaned the blood from him so she could see how bad the cut was. He allowed her to do this, sitting completely still and staring at the floor, but his breathing remained steady and calm. After the blood was clear, it didn't look so bad. Only a graze that would leave a bruise around the cut, and possibly a small scar. Nothing to be really worried over, now to see how badly he was frightened.

"Are you all right?" He looked at the floor. "Trowa!" Those eyes came up to rest on her and she almost forgot her question as she was drowning in dark green.

"Yes," he said in his quiet voice, taking off the half mask and gloves. "It's fine."

"I'm sorry, but why didn't you dodge?" A stupid question. There would have been no way she could have been able to dodge a blade coming at her at that speed, but somehow she thought he could have.

"You told me to hold still. I was following orders." She apologized again, though he didn't seem to be listening. The moment he had muttered the word, orders, he had started from the bed, changing out of his costume quickly.

"Where are you going? Trowa, you really shouldn't be doing that so fast so soon. Are you so angry with me that you can't stand to be around me or what?" He had his hand on the doorknob, ready to leave. "Trowa!" He turned, giving her a look that froze her into silence, then he disappeared into the dark.

Once she was alone, she looked at the bloody costume, her guilt and grief rising. Now her partner was gone again. She had driven him away. No wonder she had never done a night show. She had failed.

"Oh, Mick," she whispered through tears. "Why did you have to leave me?" She was still sobbing when Joshua came after the show was over.

"Fabulous!" He cried as he entered, as usual without knocking. "That was absolutely fabulous! I was even afraid for the boy. How did you ever manage that look of terror? It was so convincing. Where's the boy? He needs to be congratulated as well."

"He's not here," she mumbled, sitting up from her position on the bed.

"Where has he gone?" His normally jovial attitude was turning quickly to serious, but all she could do was shrug in answer to his question. Joshua picked up the blue and white checked shirt that Trowa had left, his fingers trailing lightly over the bloodstains. "You hit him?" She nodded miserably. "How?"

"The lights blinded me, and my aim went off." There was no way on this earth she was going to tell him that he had looked at her and his eyes had frightened her so badly she had missed.

"Is he all right?"

"Apparently, he ran out of here quick enough."

"He is coming back?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. He never says anything." Joshua passed a hand before his eyes.

"Come get me when he comes back, all right?" She nodded reaching out for Trowa's costume, wondering why Joshua assumed he would come back and if he did that he would return to her first. "Ayden?" She looked back at her boss who was considering her with concern. "Do you think it will happen again?"

"No sir. I'll make sure of that. Pretty soon I'll be able to throw blindfolded and the lights won't matter then."

"Good. Will you be okay?"

"Me? Certainly. Don't worry about it. I'm more concerned with Trowa at the moment."

"You have no idea where he went?"

"None, if I knew I wouldn't be worried."

"I'll see you tomorrow then," he sighed as he closed the door behind him.

"Good night, sir."

When she was alone, she set to work on getting the blood out of the checked fabric. Poor Joshua, she thought as she scrubbed, his entire act had been disrupted and one performer was missing, all because she had failed. What had been in Trowa's eyes to mess her up where nothing else had? Why had it done that to her? Her fingers worked the cloth harder as her anger at herself rose. What would Mick have thought if he had seen? And what about Trowa? Why had he left and where was he now? She continued rinsing and scrubbing long after the blood had disappeared just because the motions gave her a way to ease her frustration at having all these unanswered questions. In the end, she was forced to turn on the radio to drag her thoughts away. For the next few minutes, the news had her complete attention.

"Earlier this evening an Oz base was attacked by five mobile suits. The make of these suits is still uncertain, but it is suspected that they may be Gundams." She hung the shirt up to dry and sat down on the bed to listen. Attacked Oz? And there were only five. The closest base was only twenty miles from where she was. "One suit has been destroyed, however the pilot is missing. Oz has sent specials to locate the body of the absent pilot. The other four escaped unharmed, in different directions. They appeared not to be in league with each other, though everything about them is uncertain. Any further information received will be reported at a later time." The voice went on to discuss other matters of less importance while Ayden contemplated the fact that there were people standing against Oz, Gundam pilots at that. Gundams being the most advanced form of mobile suit created from a rare alloy that was nonexistent on this planet. Whoever, or whatever, they were, they had come a great distance for this war. She snapped her fingers in sudden revelation. They must have come from the colonies! The colonies suffering from the harsh rule of Oz. Of course, that must be it. Imagine that, and good for them too. She found herself thinking that Trowa would have made an excellent Gundam pilot. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized why Trowa would make an excellent Gundam pilot. All the pieces fit, but just as she was congratulating herself on solving the puzzle she was suddenly filled with dread. What if Trowa was the one who was killed? Why should you care, Ayden? What is he to you? She hadn't even known him for very long, but still since he was her partner she couldn't help but feel a certain attachment to the boy. She fell asleep that night on her knees praying that he would return to her safely.

She might have been asleep, but in her worry it was so light that the soft knock on her door brought her leaping up to admit whoever thought they needed to see her in the dead quiet of night. Her heart throbbed in relief and excitement as she turned the doorknob, though why it was doing so was beyond her. She knew who was on the other side of her door even before his hunched form came into view. He had returned. In his arms, he held the motionless body of a young man. If there had been any doubt about Trowa's identity before, him being at her door with that boy removed any shred of uncertainty.

"I'm sorry," he said in a voice strained by fatigue and a touch of pain. "I thought I saw a light on. I didn't mean to wake you."

"Come in. I was waiting for you anyway. You can set him on the bed there. Come in, Trowa, unless you want someone to see you."

"I had no where else to take him."

"I know, don't worry about it okay? He can stay here. What happened to him anyway?" Gently, Trowa lay the other boy down, brushing his dark brown bangs away from his closed eyes. From what Ayden could see in the dim lamplight, the mysterious boy had a deep gash on one side of his head, and his entire upper left side was a mess of blood.

"He was in an accident." The lie, or rather, what he was keeping from her, was barely detectable, but she knew it was there. She paused to look at Trowa letting him know via her gaze that she knew the truth.

"Will Oz be coming after him?" Trowa jumped at the word. In a flash of motion, faster than any knife she had ever thrown, she found both her wrists pinned above her by one of his hands. The other was raised in a fist, ready for a punch.

"What do you know?" He asked in a voice made more frightening because of its quiet rasp. She found she was so scared she couldn't breathe.

"Don't you trust me at all?" She was finally able to stutter, looking directly into his cold gaze. He lowered his fist slowly, but still held her against the wall. It gave her a bit of courage. "You're a Gundam pilot," she said in a voice so low it was a wonder he heard. "And so is that poor boy on the bed. You're against Oz and that is a good enough reason for me to keep your secrets." He let her go, turning from her and back to the unmoving form on the bed. Something sparked in his eyes that Ayden could barely catch. It looked like admiration, or perhaps the glimmer of friendship. Whoever this pilot was, he had won the loyalty of Trowa Barton.

"Thank you."

"Just don't get yourself killed all right? Losing another partner is not something I want to go through again anytime soon." Bringing her medical supplies with her, she sat down on the bed opposite Trowa.

"So this is what happens when one invokes the wrath of Oz," she said almost to herself as she washed blood away for the third time that night.

"It wasn't Oz that did this. It was himself. He was ordered to self destruct, and he did. No hesitation at all. It was so perfect. He's a perfect soldier." So many words at once, Trowa must have actually felt for this boy. The admiration was so strong in his voice that it could almost be seen.

"I wouldn't doubt it. He sure did a number on himself though. It's a wonder he's still alive and breathing on his own like he is." The boy stirred slightly, not fully waking, against her touch. She thought she heard him mutter the word, Wing, before falling back into an unconsciousness so deep it could be better defined as coma.

"Who is he? His physical endurance is incredible from what I can tell, especially for one of his age." Trowa gave her a suspicious look before answering.

"His code name is Heero Yuy, but I don't know who he is. If you ever betray us, I'll kill you." So casual, the way he said those words, and what sent a shiver up her spine was the cold fact that he really meant it.

"Don't worry, I have my own reasons for wanting Oz's control terminated." She bandaged Heero's wounds with a practiced hand while Trowa watched her intently, fingering his own cut.

"How long do you think he'll be out?" She asked wondering how long she could hide him in her trailer.

Trowa shrugged, pushing one of Heero's eyes open and checking his pulse. "I can't tell," he finally answered. "It's Heero, and he heals quickly. It shouldn't be more than a few days."

"We'll be leaving here after tomorrow's last show."

"That doesn't matter. What has he left to hold him here?"

"What has any of you left to hold you anywhere?" She shouldn't have said that. Trowa's eyes, there was something so deep in them that she knew she shouldn't have brought it up at all. "Anyway," she said quickly trying to bring him back from whatever dark past she had sent him to. "You'd best get some sleep. I'll keep him safe."

"Thank you." His voice was so soft, his body so hunched over. She bit her lip, looking around before finally sighing to herself.

"You may as well stay here too, Trowa. I think you wouldn't make it to your trailer the way you look right now, and I really don't think you want me to support you in getting there." Even as she spoke, she was clearing a place for him on the sofa and grabbing a light blanket from a chest in the corner.

"Thank you." That was all he seemed able to say, staring at the carpet. Pity welled up in her so strong she almost wept for him.

"That is what it means to have a partner, Trowa."

"I wouldn't know." She bit her tongue to keep her from asking the question about his past that he had hinted at. He didn't want to talk about it, and she had to respect his privacy.

"Come here and sit down." That was the only thing she could think of to turn him from his brooding. When she looked up from the bed she had prepared for him, he was staring at Heero but his eyes looked beyond. The only movement was the playing of his fingers over the cut. Concerned, she knelt in front of him, trying to catch his eyes. "Trowa, what's wrong?" She hesitated for the briefest of moments, remembering his strong grip on her wrists, before shaking him by the shoulders. "Trowa!" Slowly, he turned his gaze to her. "All right?" His mouth opened, but he did not speak. "Trowa, you can tell me." He shook his head, fighting some inner battle. This was the real essence of a soldier, this private torture. "Trowa," she pleaded, taking his hand away from his head. She looked at it, but the slit appeared to be healing fine on its own. "If you can't tell me, that's fine, but at least come to the couch and lay down." The pilot contemplated his hand resting limply in hers. "Forget I asked, you're too tired to deal with this right now. Come on."

"I couldn't do it," he said softly, hypnotically.

"It doesn't matter."

"I just couldn't."

"Trowa, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Heero wasn't the only one who was ordered to self destruct." She cupped his face with her other hand in understanding. He closed his eyes in agony.

"That's all right, Trowa. I'm sure Heero is glad that you couldn't, and I know I am too. Where would the colonies be if you were gone?"

"He never hesitated, not one shred, but I. . .I lacked the courage."

"But Trowa, look at what you've done. You've saved your friend. Living through a war like this takes more courage than dying for one."

"I was afraid."

"That's all right. I was afraid, everyone is."

"Heero wasn't." So it came down to that. Trowa wanted to be like Heero, but he couldn't be that cold. He had too much feeling, he valued human life too much.

"Heero sounds like an inhuman monster."

"He's a good soldier."

"I pity him then. In my eyes, you're the stronger one." Using her thumb, she wiped away the one tear Trowa had allowed himself to shed. "And this proves it."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me, just remember what I tell you. Come on now, you have to get some sleep so you can be ready for tomorrow."

"Where will you sleep?"

"Never mind about that, lie down will you?"

"I'll not have you sleeping on the floor." She smiled at him softly. His charming gentleman's manners always got her.

"It's my floor and I'll sleep on it if I please. Lie down." He looked at her, considered her, for long moments before finally stretching out on the sofa. "Sleep well, Trowa Barton," she whispered even though she knew he did not hear her. After checking on Heero one last time, she curled up on the rug and fell asleep.

At dawn, the knock on her door had her again jumping awake. She was suddenly nervous. What if Heero was discovered? Perhaps Oz had followed Trowa here. What if it was Joshua? There was no way she could explain Heero to him, or Trowa being there either for that matter. With a look at the pilot's calm countenance, she hesitantly opened her door to peek her head outside.

Two boys of her own age of fifteen stood waiting, the look of soldiers on their faces. One was dressed in the black garb of a priest, a slight smile lifting the corners of his lips. His hair fell to his knees in one long thick brown braid, and his big cobalt eyes shone with the light of the coming morning. The other was dressed in khaki slacks, a button up shirt and a vest. His platinum blonde hair hung neatly around his angelically pale face. His soft blue eyes reguarded her almost companionably. They didn't look like Oz, but that didn't mean anything.

"Can I help you?" She asked still not opening the door completely.

"We are looking for someone," the pale one said in the soft voice of a pacifist. Surely, this boy was never meant for a war. She didn't trust them at all, there was just something about them that was wrong.

"I am the only one here."

"That is a lie," she was told by the boy in black. "We need to give him some information."

"How dare you tell me what is truth and what isn't? Who do you think you are anyway?"

"Forgive us," said the blonde. "It was rather rude of us not to introduce ourselves first. I am Quatre Rebarba Winner, and this is --"

"Shinigami," the boy in black cut in before his name could be revealed. Shinigami? He called himself the God of Death? How reassuring. The blonde, Quatre, gave him a look of pleading.

"Well, sirs, I can assure you there is no one that would be needing any of your information in my trailer." She didn't even know Trowa had come up behind her until he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Quatre," he said softly as he looked out to see who was there. "You live."

"We all live, Trowa, although we are unsure about one of us." Trowa nodded.

"He will be well. He will be staying here with us."

"And who is this one?" Shinigami demanded.

"My partner, Ayden." He had called her his partner! His hand still rested on her shoulder. "She'll not betray us." Shinigami relaxed almost visibly. "You have something for me, Duo?" The boy in black nodded. So his name was Duo, that, to her, seemed much better than Shinigami. A computer disk was taken out of his black ensemble and handed to Trowa.

"Your new orders. Yours and Heero's."

"What of you and Quatre?"

"We've been positioned elsewhere. Who knows when our paths will cross again?"

"And Wufei?" Duo shrugged and Quatre looked at the grass.

"He is alive, though where he is I don't know. He's more secretive than Heero." Trowa nodded, fingering the disk.

"Quatre," he spoke the name with the soft voice of one speaking to a nervous animal. "I would speak with you for a moment." He put a hand on the blonde boy's shoulder, walking him away from the group.

"Trowa?" Duo called out to him. An unspoken question was asked between their eyes to which Trowa nodded. Duo turned back to look at Ayden.

"Might I see Heero?" He asked with pleading. Allowing herself to trust just one more stranger, she admitted him into the room. It was dark inside, as the sun had not yet completely risen, the light resting in dusty shafts. In the dim light, Duo's eyes glittered as they came to rest on Heero's pale face.

"You'll be all right," he whispered to the boy on the bed. "And the next time I see you this war will be finished." With a hesitant hand, as if he were afraid, Duo pushed back Heero's bangs, leaning low to whisper in his ear. "Thank you." Ayden averted her eyes from the scene. She deemed herself almost unworthy to be in the room, much less witness this touching drama. Who was this Heero that he would achieve such admiration from Trowa, and such love from this boy?

"You just don't know him," Duo said as if she had asked the question out loud. Then he laughed, an odd sound coming from a soldier. She shuddered to hear it. "But I don't really know him either. I doubt anyone ever will."

"Why is he so mysterious?"

"You'll find out for yourself. It's impossible for me to tell you." She was about to retort when Trowa returned leading Quatre. The pale boy seemed even paler, and his eyes were red as if he had been crying. Trowa came to stand beside Ayden, placing a trembling hand on her shoulder as if for her support. It surprised her, and warmed her that he would do such a thing. However, she didn't acknowledge it, knowing that he would rather have her as his silent help.

"You'll be all right," Duo repeated, though to whom he was speaking was unclear. Placing a brotherly hand around Quatre's shoulders, Duo left the room, Ayden and Trowa following. Once all outside, Duo tipped his hat to Ayden, who, overcome by the entire thing, reached out her hands to take one of each of theirs.

"I don't know if I'll ever see you again, so I want us to part as friends," she said giving each a squeeze. Quatre kissed her hand gently.

"I trust you," he said before releasing her. Duo nodded his agreement, then both glanced at Trowa. The three exchanged a last look, as if they expected never to see the others again, before the two turned and exited the circus grounds without even saying good bye.

She ducked back inside, heading to the kitchen to make breakfast. Trowa had that look that meant he wanted to be left alone for a while. He stayed out on the porch for a long time, finally coming back inside when she was just setting the little table. She put a pancake and eggs on his plate without a word. Allowing him to brood, she supressed her questions, seems like she always had questions, and ate her own meal in equal silence. She watched him under her eyelashes, he twisted the disk through his fingers even though she knew that he already could guess what was on it. Whatever it was, he wasn't at all pleased. Clearing her throat, she gathered up her courage to break the silence. At the sound, Trowa looked up from the disk and his eyes almost made her lose her nerve.

"We'll have to go to Joshua soon," she said in a half whisper, made so by his tortured eyes. "Unless we want him to come looking for us. He's worried about you." He raised an eyebrow, as if the notion of concern were incomprehendible to him. She came over to his side, pushing his bangs away to look at the cut. Or, at least, that's the reason she used. He tensed, as always, shying from her touch. The slit was doing well, but she still had that stab of guilt knowing it had been her fault.

"You shouldn't be in this," she told him, smoothing his hair that had yet to be combed.

"If it wasn't me, it would be someone else."

"What made you think you wanted to do this?" He stared straight ahead, a soldier at attention once again. It was his way of escaping his emotions, she knew, though how she knew was a mystery.

"There is nothing I live for except Gundam." Her fingers trailed from his hair to his shoulder. He tensed, as always.

"That's sad, Trowa."

"We all live for Gundam. Heero, Wufei. ."

"Not all. Quatre doesn't, nor Duo either."

"You don't know them."

"True, but in the few moments I was with them I saw more emotion in their eyes than I have ever seen in yours."

"They can't reflect what is not there. What do you want to see in them? Fear, hate?" He stood, shrugging off her hand. It took all her will not to run after him. When he reached the doorway he turned back. "Love?" Her heart skipped, allowing him to duck out of the trailer. How could she love him? She'd known him for a day only, yet there was something. She finally concluded that it was nothing but the mystery of the boy that attracted her to him. He was a puzzle that she couldn't figure and she found it fascinating. Tossing her dishtowel onto the counter, she decided to just let it be.

A noise brought her attention to the bedroom. A shifting of floor accompanied with the slight tremor that comes with movement in a small trailer on wheels. Slightly nervous, she peeked into the room, not knowing what to expect. Heero was there, awake, and struggling to stand upright without the support of the bedstand.

"Here now," she said in a stern tone, coming to his side. "You shouldn't be doing that just yet." He looked at her, a heated dark gray stare of almost inhuman distrust. "I'm Ayden," her voice was less sure of itself now. "A friend of Trowa's. He brought you here." She shouldn't have reprimanded Trowa for his lack of emotion, this boy was much worse. Such an intense fierce gaze, even Trowa's softened every now and then. In the unnatural pound of heart she realized that could this boy move as he usually did, she would be dead.

"Did you see?" He stuttered in the cold dead voice of a mechanical being. Raised for one purpose, and that purpose being war. As she pondered his answer she also pondered his mortality. He couldn't be real, there was no way he could be real. So frightened she couldn't move, all she could do was stare at this clone of humanity before her. His muscle structure, so clearly defined. Even under the green tank top he wore, she could make out every line of his abdominals. He was a bit shorter than Trowa, she found she measured all the other boys up to Trowa from this point, since her view of Trowa's height was the perfect height to be. His hair was deep brown and unruly, hanging in his eyes and making them that much darker and more intense. Her breath came faster as she studied, the unreality of his perfection paralyzing her in its madness.

"Did you see?" The question came in a hiss this time. His hand moved backward as if searching for a gun that he was most likely never without. Good thing Trowa had either taken it or it had been lost in whatever battle he had been involved with or she doubted very much that she would ever have found her voice again.

"I saw nothing," she told him quietly, afraid that a loud noise would startle him. He opened his mouth to say something else, but his strength failed him and he collapsed onto the bed. Her natural compassion for the injured overcame her fear of this nonhuman enough that she rushed to kneel before him, placing a hand on his knee. Although a moment ago, she would never have found the courage to do it, she bent her head down to catch his wandering and watery gaze, his fierce hard gaze. Once she had it, he would have no choice but to listen to what she said, she had found this out from months of tending to Mick. Even if he wasn't coherent, his subconscious would hear her if she had his eyes.

"Hold still," she told him as he was trying to rise again. As any well trained soldier he obeyed the command. "You're going to be too dizzy to walk around too much just yet, and there isn't anything for you to do anyway. Trowa knows when you'll be needed next, and he'll tell you when that is." They were the wrong words. His eyes widened and she could see the muscles, the perfect muscles, of his arm tighten.

"What do you know?" Even in his weakened state she knew she couldn't defend herself should he turn violent. Odd, but she never thought this way with Trowa. Although he was a hardened soldier too, he didn't have this natural killer air that radiated from Heero.

"I know what you are, but you must believe me when I tell you that I will never reveal anything that I know."

"I'll kill you." Her breath gasped inward with the words. Even as he said it one hand reached out for her throat. She jumped back, but he caught her by her wrist at his knee.

"Heero, don't!" Were the last words she could say before his hand closed about her windpipe with an iron clench that she could not break. He was so strong, and his eyes so cold. As she was just beginning to see black dots cloud her vision a sharp knock on the door startled Heero enough to release her. Before he could regain himself, she broke away.

"If you want your secrets kept," she half sobbed, staggering out as fast as she could since her balance had been altered by the lack of oxygen. "You'd best stay here and keep quiet." Trembling, she closed the door and ran to the entry.

"Who is it?" She asked, her voice as shaky as her body.

"Joshua." After hearing her voice, he opened the door, not even waiting for her to say that he could enter. He was a tall lean man, usually jovial, but the way things had been for the past few days had made him more serious than normal. He had sandy hair and brown eyes, handsome features. Even the lines that spiderwebbed from his eyes as a mark of his age looked as if they should be there. With a single motion he closed the door and caught her arm to study her.

"Ayden, what's wrong?" She shook her head, looking down. "You're shaking."

"I was standing on a chair to hang up my breakfast skillet and fell that's all," she lied. "Scared out of my mind." He looked doubtful, holding her shoulders. "Have you met with Trowa?" She hoped that he would drop it and agree to her changing the subject.

"Yes, I saw him. Glad he decided to come back. Did you want him for something?" She swallowed, licking her lips and trying hard not to look toward her bedroom door.

"I did."

"I'll get him for you."

"No, that's all right. I can find him on my own."

"I'd rather have you stay here for a bit, until you calm down. Okay?" Don't look at that door, Ayden. She knew that Heero was listening to every word.

"Fine," she sighed. He nodded, pushing her down onto the sofa.

"All right then. He'll be here in a few minutes, as soon as I find the boy."

"Thank you." He disappeared and her fear rose again. There was a murderer in her bedroom, and he wanted her to die. Taking deep breaths, she allowed herself the look to the door and the sight shocked her heart so badly she thought she was going to die just from his stare. Heero was standing in the doorway, outlined with the shadow of the room behind him.

"I didn't say anything," she stuttered, holding her hands before her defensively and backing away as he advanced with a calm step. "I won't say anything." His eyes narrowed and he came closer. She turned to run toward the door, but was caught by something. Screaming, she struggled against it, trying to break her wrist free from Heero's grasp. "Let me go!" He twisted her arm up until she was pressed against him, bringing his other arm around her neck. One swift movement and he could break it. She closed her eyes, her breaths coming in quick pants of fear. Her hand pulling uselessly at his.

"Heero don't do this," she pleaded. "Why can't you believe me when I tell you I'm on your side?"

"Because you don't want to die." The doorknob turned and opened without anyone knocking.

"Heero, stop," Trowa's voice! Trowa had come. She was going to live after all. "She'll not say a word, and if she does I'll be the one to kill her." His grip relaxed and she pulled free, running to Trowa who pushed her to stand behind him. "You've got to trust her for a while." The gray eyed boy stared at her and Trowa, hard, before collapsing onto the sofa. Trowa knelt beside him, taking the computer disk from his pocket. Heero closed his fingers on it, but Trowa didn't let go. Both holding onto the disk, Trowa whispered into Heero's ear what was on it. He nodded occassionally, but there was nothing in his eyes to show if he was either pleased or annoyed. In the end, Heero took the disk, considering it with the intenseness that he considered everything. Trowa stayed by his side, waiting for something Ayden couldn't see. After a moment of this silence, Heero jumped up crying Duo's name. It was for this that Trowa had been waiting, catching the other boy by the shoulders and pushing him back down. He struggled, but in the end he lacked the strength to fight.

"Where's Duo?" He asked in the cold emotionless voice in which he said everything.

"Duo is fine. Better off than you. He was here a while ago, but you weren't conscious." Heero relaxed, visibly allowing his muscles to untense.

"I thought. . ." his words trailed off. So Heero had a trace of humanity after all. He may not care about anything else, but he did have some sort of bond with Duo. He probably had very deep feelings, but had been raised in such a way that he could not show it.

"No, he lives." Heero nodded repeatedly, obviously wishing he could talk with the boy who called himself Shinigami. Trowa pulled him up, leading him back to the bedroom.

"Trowa," Ayden heard him whisper. "How?"

"I'll take care of it. We'll get in. Lie down for a while before you fall down. You're still human sometimes." The door closed, and Trowa came over to stand by her.

"Sit down," he told her, easing her down onto the sofa with a gentleness unusual to him. "You're going into shock." He pulled the blanket she hadn't put away yet around her shoulders, and it was only then that she realized that she was so cold her teeth were chattering. Hesitantly, Trowa drew her close to him for the extra warmth and comfort.

"Scared were you?" He asked her, trying to get her to talk so she wouldn't go any further into the shock she was already experiencing.

"Beyond anything. He was going to kill me, Trowa."

"Yes, he was."

"Don't leave me alone with him, ever." She nuzzled her head against his chest, and for once he didn't tense.

"No, not for a while anyway. If you don't mind me sleeping on your sofa, that is."

"Oh, I don't care. I'd rather have you here with me if he's going to be staying here too."

"He won't hurt you now. I don't think." She shuddered, making him hold her tighter, rubbing his hand up and down her arm to warm her.

"I don't suppose you could tell me what is on that disk that has you so worried?" He paused, considering the question. "If you can't, I understand. Classified military information probably."

"Hold on a minute. I can tell whom I please. Maybe you could help us."

"Any way I can. Just tell me what to do."

"I have to get my Gundam into Edwards base."

"Edwards? That's easy, Trowa. Should have told me sooner and you wouldn't have had to worry. Oz invited our circus to give a performance there tonight. The last one before we move on. We just tell Joshua about our surprise finale performance that even he can't know the details for. Make sure Heero knows where to be when we come out for the final act, and we can get the Gundam in with the circus gear." He nodded and resumed his rubbing motions as he went over the plan again in his head.

"When do we tell Joshua?"

"Now, if you like. It would probably be better if he knew of these last minute changes as soon as possible." Trowa studied her carefully, searching for something.

"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, look." She held out her hand to show him that she was no longer shaking. "Just hope I never have to go through that again."

"He won't do that again. Come on. Let's find Joshua, and then I'll take you to see Heavyarms." She raised an eyebrow, wondering what he meant.

Joshua's acceptance to their surprise act was quick. He was always willing to accept new acts and changes to old ones, it was good for business to have something different after all. The only thing that he had a slight problem with was their inability to tell him exactly what the act was, and he began to chew his lip when they said they had an extra piece of equipment they would need.

"This is safe?" He had asked them, probably remembering Trowa's encounter with Ayden's misaim. Although Ayden hesitated to answer, Trowa was ready for this question.

"We know what we're doing, sir. It will be a performance that Oz will never forget. I can promise you that much." The ringmaster nodded to which Trowa bowed, took Ayden's hand and led her away.

"Amazing," she complimented him once they were out of earshot. Trowa released her hand quickly, turning his eyes sideways to give her his attention. "Not telling him anything while telling nothing but the truth. You'll have to teach me that trick sometime. May be useful."

"No. Stay innocent Ayden. Lies would not become you at all." Before she could decide if he was paying her a compliment, he made a quick turn that led to the wooded area near the circus grounds. She had to trot to keep up with his long legged stalking gait. He probably didn't even realize he had fallen into the walk of a trained assassin, knees bent and shoulders hunched forward slightly. He glided through the brush, not making half as much noise as she was. How long had he been drilled to do this? It almost made her sad to watch his perfected stride, or it would have made her sad if she didn't have to concentrate so hard on not tripping over the tree roots and fallen branches.

"Trowa," she called ahead to him. "Not that I doubt your tracking abilities but where are we going?" He paused, standing on a tree that had been blown down in some past storm, the sun glinting off his hair.

"Sorry," he muttered, reaching his hand out to help her over the tree. The way he said it made her think that he had forgotten she was behind him and having difficulty catching him.

"No problem, but where is it that we're headed for?"

"Heavyarms. I had to hide him. It wouldn't do for the wrong person to find him."

"I'm not going to ask," she sighed, hopping over another obstacle that stood in her way.

"You'll see in a minute." At least he was opening up to her more now that she knew what he was and would keep that knowledge to herself. It was the beginning of a friendship, and she was glad that she had finally managed to gain his trust.

A few minutes, and multiple branches in the face, later, Trowa again paused to allow her to trot to his side. She had never realized that roaming through the woods would be so difficult. He raised an eyebrow slightly when he looked at the scratches she had managed to inflict upon herself.

"I'm a circus performer, not a woodswoman, all right?" He made a soothing gesture with one hand, letting her know that he wasn't judging her trail blazing abilities. Somehow, it made her feel less humiliated about not being able to move as fast as he could. He traced a scratch with one finger down the side of her face as if to check how severe it was. She tensed, surprising herself that she would flinch from his touch. He seemed different out here, more in control, more dangerous. His talent in gliding through the forest proved that, and he had stopped talking in complete sentences as if he wasn't used to speech at all. His soldier qualities were coming through very strongly in this setting, but the setting wasn't the reason.

"Heavyarms," he whispered pointing ahead. She followed his finger and wondered how she could have possibly missed seeing it before. It had the appearance of a common mobile suit, but she knew that she was staring at something else. Something more complex and more powerful.

"So," she breathed out in awe. "That's a Gundam. You're right Trowa, it will be a performance that Oz will never forget, what's left of it anyway." He sniffed, accepting the compliment to both his skill and the mobile unit itself, taking a few steps toward it in pride. Or at least what Ayden assumed to be pride. Looking up at it, she was already planning what they would have to do. "We're going to need a truck, and a huge canvas to cover this unless we want someone to see it. I think we can manage both, but we'll have to get it to a place where we can easily put it on a truck and drive out. The middle of the forest is a bad place for that. Heero will need to know what we're up to. He's going to be angry that he won't get to be a very big part of this won't he?"

"No, he'll be the one piloting Heavyarms." His hand was on the Gundam now, as if stroking a favorite pet that had to be given away for some reason.

"Why would he do that? It's your Gundam, I thought."

"But he's the better pilot, and I'll be. . ." he trailed off, looking at the ground.

"Be where Trowa?"

"Somewhere else. Don't worry, you'll be with me."

"I'm not going to be informed on any details am I?"

"Not until I figure them out, no."

"A spur of the moment fighter, eh?"

"Everything in a battle is spur of the moment, no matter how fool proof the plan." Wow. Words of wisdom there. She looked up at him only to find that his dark green eyes looked beyond as if seeing the battle that was to come. It worried her to see him that way. She wondered if he would ever be normal, or at least her idea of normal with thoughts and emotions far away from the war. His hand came up to finger the slit on his temple, causing her to wince with guilt.

"What will you do when this is over?" She tried to draw him from his dark thoughts and back to the cheery sunshine of the early afternoon. He gave a start, being shocked from whatever he had been considering.

"I've never really thought about it," he said softly, still playing over the wound. "I'll know when I find it." The way he spoke made her think that he suspected the war would never end. What did she want him to do anyway? You don't really expect him to stay with you for the rest of your life do you, Ayden? What kind of future is that for a talented young handsome man like him? Yet she couldn't help but entertain thoughts of being with him forever, as most teenage girls do. Taking care of him seemed so natural, and she felt that she had known him for many years before she had ever seen him.

Gently, she took the hand away from the cut. She hated watching him trail his fingers over it, and he didn't even look like he noticed he was doing it. The motion drew his attention to her, and she was again drowning in dark green. Dark green, but nothing else. No warmth or contempt, just the reflection of herself and the trees behind her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he brought up a hand to shush her. Confused, she remained quiet and watched him. He pulled his fingers from her grasp and crouched, tilting his head as if listening for something that she couldn't hear.

"What is it, Trowa?" He held up a hand, commanding her to be silent with the gesture. His green eyes darted back and forth, searching for something that she had not even heard.

"Mobile suits," he whispered. "Land Aries, five of them, being sent out into this area to patrol." She felt her jaw drop in amazement, but before she could comment on his fantastic abilities, he had grabbed her arm and was pulling her towards his mobile suit. "We must get Heavyarms away before they come," he explained as he helped her climb up to the cockpit. She looked about the enclosed area and wondered if having two people inside was possible.

"We can't fight, I won't have enough room to manuever, but I can't leave you behind knowing what you know." She nodded even though she understood little. Her mind had clicked into panic mode and was registering little else other than the fact that she was in danger. The only other piece of reasoning that got through was:

"What about Heero?" Trowa winced slightly, giving the already cramped cockpit a glance to see if they could fit Heero and still be able to fly.

"We need a carrier," he decided, pulling her into his lap and tucking her head against his shoulder so he could see around her and reach the controls.

"Could we steal one from Edwards?" He considered that as he made their way out of the forest and away from the patroling Aries.

"We'll need to be very quick, and you'll need to fly it."

"Me! Fly!" She squeaked causing him to tense.

"We have to get away from here and we have to do it quickly. You'll have to fly the carrier while I protect you with Heavyarms. We'll retrieve Heero and then I'm going to complete my mission. It's not that hard. I'll be giving you instructions."

He stopped the Gundam close enough to Edwards for them to get in on foot, but far enough away that they would not be noticed in a hurry. He placed a gun into her trembling fingers as he opened the cockpit for her to get down.

"Be confident," he whispered as he dropped to the ground next to her. "Just be confident and I'll take care of it. Follow me." Despite her muscle structure that came with the use of the trapeze, he was still much faster than she was and she knew that he was slowing himself down for her sake. He was so amazing, terrible in his strength.

The base was a huge, impenetrable structure, cold and strict. Trowa analyzed the fence that surrounded it carefully, giving a sidelong glance at her. She looked to him questioningly, wondering how he would get over. It was sure to be electrified. He nodded to himself, took a few steps backward, and crouched low. Before she fully understood what he truly intended, he sprinted forward and leaped up, turning a graceful acrobatic flip over the top of the fence and landing softly on the other side. She gasped, knowing that she would never be able to follow him over that way, but he knew that already. With the pressing of a few buttons he had dismantled the electricity and opened the gate to her. "Come on, quickly, they'll be looking for us now." She didn't say anything, didn't trust herself as she was so frightened, but followed him blindly as he jogged into the base hanger. There were many carriers inside, not that it was surprising. Trowa leaped inside one, holding his hand down to help her inside. Once there he gestured to the pilot's seat.

"Ignition, steering, brake," he muttered pointing out different controls and buttons. It was so fast she was sure she would make a mistake before even getting off the ground. She was still puzzling out how to turn it on when he commanded that they leave. "Hurry, take me to Heavyarms." Closing her eyes in a quick prayer, she pushed what she hoped was the right button and pulled back on the piloting device. "That's right," Trowa assured softly, his eyes scanning everywhere at once for possible enemies. "Now pull back and increase speed." That proved to be the incorrect thing for her to do. The carrier burst forward in a rush, crashing right through the wall and setting off an alarm. But they were out before anyone really knew what was happening. "Good," he told her, nodding slightly. It wasn't quite as hard as she had thought, of course it wouldn't be or Trowa would never have allowed her to do it on her own. "There is Heavyarms, fly over it and I'll jump out. Then just follow me to Heero."

"Trowa, this is crazy."

"When the world goes crazy, then you must believe in yourself. Don't be afraid." He leaped down then, landing exactly right to jump into the cockpit. She hovered over him in circles, leading the OZ officials directly to them, but she didn't know what else to do. Looking down, she saw the red mobile suit come to life. It shot one OZ fighting craft directly out of the sky, then leaped off the ground, heading in the direction of the circus. Was Joshua in for a surprise! She manuevered the carrier after him, praying all the while.

Heero was waiting for them as she landed the carrier. He rushed forward to climb into Heavyarms' cockpit as Trowa jumped to the ground. So he would be using the Gundam and Trowa would be with her in the carrier. OZ soldiers were closing in now, and Trowa was just inside when they fired the first shot.

"I'll take over from here," he said, and she rose from the piloting seat in relief. He knew what he was doing.

"Where are we going?"

"Outer space."

"What about Heero?"

"He will destroy the base, and follow us."

"What if he fails?" That got a reaction, he pinned her with a fierce gaze.

"That won't happen." So the very idea of Heero not accomplishing a mission was unthinkable. She didn't understand why Trowa idolized him so much, to her their abilities were equal. A sudden jolt propelled her backward into the wall, knocking the breath from her lungs. Trowa put on a burst of speed to get out of target range, calling some command to Heero who was fighting the battle alone. Another jerk of motion and the screen ahead was filled with unthreatening stars. They had left the colony behind and were now peacefully coasting along space. She heard more than saw Trowa punching buttons, as she found her eyes were closed tightly.

"Where are you hurt?" She heard him ask in his soft voice that spoke of no emotion. She tried to sit up, but her rib prevented it. That's what you get, Ayden for not wearing a seatbelt. His arms slid around her shoulders and waist, lifting her into a more comfortable position with her head resting on his shoulder. Her eyes were still squeezed tightly shut against the pain that was beginning to flare up now that she was thinking about it. His calloused fingers pulled her hand away from her side, she hadn't realized she been touching herself there at all. "Here, let me see." He probed gently, but as he didn't understand that she could not tolerate as much pain as he could, it set the rib on fire. She heard herself cry out and struggle against him, though it did nothing but cause her more pain. "Relax, if you tense it will just make it worse." His smooth tone more than what he said made her unclench her fingers and allow herself to be supported only by him. "It's not broken," he was saying, but whether it was to himself or her she couldn't guess. "Just bruised. It will hurt for a few days, but it should heal quickly." He lifted her from the floor to place her comfortably in the chair next to the pilot's. The pain was fading now, and she could open her eyes. When she did she found herself staring deep into Trowa's green eyes as he knelt over her to secure her into the chair to prevent her from injuring herself further should he have to repeat an escape.

"I'm sorry to involve you with this." She shook her head, not trusting herself to say anything. "I'll make sure you are able to return to the circus, but we'll have to make sure it is safe first."

"I understand." Not that she really wanted to leave anyway. She wanted to stay with Trowa for reasons she couldn't name. There was a maternal sense that she felt when she was with him that sometimes shifted to something else. It was that something else that made her want to stay.

"Heero!" His yell brought her back from whatever daydream she had allowed herself to enjoy. "Doko desu ka?" She blinked. What language was that?

"Trowa," the voice sounded strained over the radio transmit, and she could tell that he had been hurt. "Find Duo. . .I need Deathscythe. The Heavyarms is out of bullets." Trowa breathed out what might have been a curse. Ayden's breath caught in her throat. Heero was in trouble.

"We have to help him, Trowa," she heard herself pant in desperation. "He'll die." Trowa nodded, his eyes closed against the thought.

"This is a carrier, not a fighting craft. We can do nothing for him now." She bit her lip, not understanding why tears were springing to her eyes. She didn't know him, but she did believe in what he stood for. The freedom of the colonies was important, and the fact that he would die for their independence and they not to be aware of his sacrifice was too much. A scream sounded through the transmit, a horrible shrieking sound of a dying boy. She winced to hear it, but opened her eyes again as a different voice came through.

"Get out of here, Heero!" Trowa sat bolt upright, disbelief flashing across his features.

"Wufei!" He and Heero cried together.

"That's right," said the unknown voice with a trace of amusement. "Nataku and I will take care of Edwards. Trowa, get Heero out of here." He nodded in agreement, turning the plane back to retrieve Heavyarms and its wounded pilot.

"Wufei," Trowa began, although he seemed uncertain of what he would say. "I'm glad you have chosen to fight." His cockpit came onto the screen in the upper corner, a handsome young man with Chinese features. Yet his black eyes carried a certain sadness that made Ayden feel compassion for him as she felt for the others.

But he could fight, oh how he could fight. She'd never seen anything like it. His Gundam was enormous, yet graceful in its terrible elegance. As Trowa descended back into the colony, she watched how Wufei's Gundam moved, keeping OZ away from Heavyarms with a torch blast from its left arm. In its right it carried a thermal energy trident of some sort, which it spun with great efficiency, creating a fireball of many mobile suits. It was incredible. She heard a groan behind her, but did not turn away from the screen where Wufei battled on alone. He might be a match for Heero even.

Heero. What was to become of him? She could hear his harsh breathing as Trowa carried him gently onto the carrier, and risked her rib to turn back for a look. He was cradled in Trowa's arms, his eyelids fluttering as he tried to stay conscious. Blood trickled down his skull from the gash that had reopened due to a violent collision with an enemy. His left arm appeared to be burned and bleeding, and it was clear that one leg was broken hideously at the knee. It wasn't good. If he lived through the night it would be a miracle. His muscles, his perfect muscles, stiffened convulsively with pain, his hand gripped tightly to Trowa's arm.

"Trowa," she unfastened her restraint, ignoring her own pain at the movement, to come to his side. "What do you need me to do?" He needed help, there were just too many things going on at once, and he was only one boy. "I can take care of him." He shook his head, throwing his bangs over one eye.

"You're not strong enough to keep him still," he meant no offence, it was the plain truth. He looked at her, then down at the shuddering Heero. "Are you well enough to fly?"

"Yes." Even if she wasn't, there was no other choice. He could not care for Heero and fly at the same time. She would have to do it. Hunched over because of her rib, she hurried to the controls, hoping she could remember her thirty second lesson enough to get them off of the colony.

"Ignition," Trowa prompted from behind her in a soothing voice. "And accelerate, pull back, that's fine."

"Where am I going?"

"Anywhere we can get some help. Wufei?" The screen popped up once again of the cockpit. Wufei was there, apparently fine.

"What?"

"Take care of yourself. We'll return as soon as we can." He nodded solemnly, then turned his attention to the base.

"I'll take care of that first, and as for you. . .watch yourself." They exchanged last glances, then the screen disappeared, leaving an unobstructed view of the stars. Ayden flew for a very long time, yet those stars never seemed to get any closer, and she saw no colonies on which they could make safe landing. Behind her she could hear Heero's occasional cries of pain, and Trowa's soft voice whispering to him as they went.

She'd never been so far before, and that was saying something since she was part of a traveling circus that had once made a special performance on the Earth. Yet the farther they went, there didn't seem to be any colonies anywhere that they could receive help.

"Um. . Trowa?" She called in what might have been the end of the second hour of flight, or the beginning of the fourth, she'd lost track.

"Hai?" She turned back to give him a questioning look. "What is it?" He repeated in english so she didn't have to guess what he meant. He'd been speaking in Japanese to Heero for the entire flight so Heero would not have to concentrate so hard on his words, and now was having difficulty switching back.

"What if we were to take him to Earth?"

"We'd be arrested before we ever got out of this carrier. ..and then executed."

"How is he doing?"

"Not good. He needs help that I cannot give him without the proper supplies."

"Is he awake?"

"No."

"I'm so sorry, Trowa."

"You've done nothing, understand? You have no reason to be sorry for anything."

"The fuel light is on, Trowa, we're going to have to land somewhere."

"What are your coordinates?" She winced, not knowing where to even begin looking to find the information he was asking for. She'd thought she had done something spectacular in discovering the fuel light.

"I don't. . ." He sighed tiredly.

"Here, come here to hold him. He won't struggle against you now. I will take over." She rose, coming back to kneel on the floor and take Heero's head against her shoulder, supporting him in a semi-upright position to ease his rasping breaths. The blood had congealed along the gash in his head at least, so he would not bleed to death, but there was a deep stain covering Trowa's shirt and jeans. From the pilot's seat she could hear Trowa muttering, but couldn't make out any distinct words except "farther than I thought" and "unfamiliar territory," and with each word Ayden felt her heart rate speed up. Had she gotten them lost? She hadn't intended to, but the stars all looked the same. Heero moaned in her arms, turning her attention from worrying about their location to consider him. His eyes were slightly open and fixed upon her in slight confusion.

"Relena," He murmured the name, reaching a hand to touch a stray lock of her honey blonde hair that had come loose from the ponytail. "Gomen nasai, Relena." She gave a quick glance to Trowa, but he was otherwise occupied trying to figure out where they were to translate for her. So she didn't reply at all, only took the bloody hand that played absently with the strands and held it tightly close to her.

"Shh," she soothed, the only thing she could do that he would understand. He tensed sharply as a burst of pain shuddered through him. She feared that there might be some internal bleeding, but there was no way to tell under the present circumstances.

"Trowa," he cried out the name as his body took control of him with painful spasms. "Doko desu ka? Nani ga attan desu ka?"

"Daijoubu, Heero," Trowa called over his shoulder as he pulled the carrier around. "Shinpai wa irimasen."

"Demo. . "

"Heero, kyouyou ga hitsuyou desu ima." His breath came in short pants, and Ayden could feel his muscles contract as he attempted to keep his body from jerking about, and she tightened her hold on him. The carrier jolted as it used the last of its fuel, but it seemed that Trowa had found somewhere to land. Heero cried out as the craft bounced to a stop on the new planet and clenched his fingers over Ayden's hand. The ship shuddered to a stop, with Heero screaming at every lurch. His struggle set her ribs on fire.

"Trowa," Ayden called through clenched teeth once they were no longer moving. "I need you. He has no control over himself." Heero arched his back, twisting his head from side to side in silent agony, his eyes squeezed shut. Trowa took him from her, holding him securely.

"Doushimashita ka, Heero?" He asked in a helpless, tired tone.

"Shukketsu shite imasu," he stuttered through gasps of breath. Trowa winced, lifting Heero into his arms and standing.

"Come on," he turned to her. "We need to find him some help." She was only able to nod, not trusting herself to speak as her rib pained her too much to make an intelligent sentence.

Once they were outside the carrier she noticed why the landing had been so bumpy. They
were in the mountains. The mountains of where she had no idea, but that was all she could see for miles around. No trees, no water, no towns, nothing except mountains. . . .and one vicious looking young man.

"Trowa," she whispered the warning as the man came closer, but he had already seen.

"Take the gun," he whispered back. He would have unholstered it himself, but he was holding Heero. "Take the safety off and point it to the ground. Now be very still."