It was Christmas morning and Heero should have expected to be rudely awoken, however he was going to kill Harry, slowly, painfully, and horribly, because damn it he wanted sleep. It was bad enough that Duo had woken early this morning and left him freezing; now he was woken by The Stalker in Pink's loud scream of his name.

Sighing, Heero got up and padded down the stairs, Mobie in hand, in hind sight he probably should have dressed first, or grabbed a pair of boxers, as it was when he arrived on the landing and pointed Mobie at Harry's head Relena blushed and fainted, ending his ears' torture.

Having the gun pointed at him didn't stop Harry from grinning wickedly as the others looked at Duo incredulously and blushed.

"Wow, Heero, That's something to share, but you might want to get some cloths on before Princess Pink wakes up."

Heero looked down and turned red himself as Harry laughed. He moved Mobie to cover himself though it did little to hide it.

"Damn it, Harry, this is your fault! Why can't you act like an adult for a day? You've pranked us and Headquarters since you got here. What is wrong with you?" Heero yelled.

Harry froze and swallowed. "I'm sorry, Heero." Harry said quietly, so quietly they almost didn't hear him.

"Harry?"

Harry flinched at his name from Heero's mouth.

"I…" Harry took a breath, "No more pranks, I'll stop."

Harry then slipped from the room.

Heero went to dress, ignoring the quiet glare from WuFei, despite the pranks, he and Harry had become close.

There were things he had noticed about Harry, like the smile he wore wouldn't reach his eyes all the time, like the laugh that was too loud to be real, the pranks were the only thing that was Harry.

Harry sat on the edge of the roof, glancing at Quatre as he joined him.

"How often do you think about jumping?" Quatre asked.

"Now or any day?" Harry turned his gaze to the horizon.

"Any day."

"Heero didn't tell you why I came to him, did he?" Harry asked.

"No."

"Three days ago, Heero was all I had left to protect. Soldiers created like Heero and I, with no purpose but to fight a war, to leave death in our wake wherever we walk, after the war is over we are left with nothing, striped down and destroyed to protect the minds of people we fought for, bled for, died for. When all that's said and done they grow to fear the monster they created, Heero found and was given purpose by the ones he protected, me… those I fought with, bled with, stood with, I am dead to them. I existed only as a Hero until I completed the task given me, then I became the villain." Harry whispered.

"Surely at least one…"

"No, the only ones that would have stood with me died before it came to that." Harry paused, "People like me die when they no longer have purpose. Heero is the only reason I'm alive, and he hates me." Harry turned and buried his face into Quatre's chest, sobbing.

Quatre wrapped his arm around Harry, even though he was surprised by Harry's sudden need for comfort. After a moment or two Harry pulled away.

"Thank you." Harry smiled widely, tears lingering on his eyelashes.

"You are welcome." Quatre said.

"No one has ever done that for me."

"You know, Heero's not the only one that would gladly kill that family of yours." Quatre growled before he could stop himself.

Harry laughed, "Come on, before Duo opens your presents for you."

It was hours before Quatre realized that Harry hadn't answered his question.

"Oh, Harry." He whispered a hand resting against his heart, knowing that the thought of jumping may have been more than a passing fancy.

Harry grinned widely as the group sat around the tree and passed presents out.

Relena got dresses and jewelry galore.

WuFei received books and a prank set from Duo, who he scowled at.

Duo got random items from each person, Heero gave him a new brush, murmuring an apology for the destruction of the last one and a coupon book that had Duo grinning widely, Quatre had gotten him a drum set that had everybody groaning, Relena had given him a pair of scissors, a stab no doubt at cutting his hair, Trowa had given him a set of throwing knives, Zechs a chemistry set and a firm warning to experiment in the bunker, and WuFei handed over a box of chocolates and a book of fairy tales.

Zechs got an invite to live with them, since he was over so much already and offers to help him move.

Quatre got small things, little tidbits, like a skirt from Duo which had him blushing, a kiss from Trowa and a promise that the rest of his gift was upstairs, a book of translated stories about WuFei's clan, a firewall and protection for his computer files from Heero, a trench coat jacket from Zechs, and a sapphire ring from Relena. Most of the things were things that Quatre would never buy himself or couldn't buy.

Trowa got a beautifully crafted flute from Quatre, a new song from WuFei, a clown suit from Duo, a gun care set from Heero, a set of throwing knives from Zechs, and a gaudy necklace from Relena.

Heero got another offer to work for her from Relena, one with higher pay that Heero turned down instantly, from Duo a request for a quiet walk later that night, that had Harry smiling having helped Duo prepare for the evening, a new computer from Quatre, a water gun from WuFei that made Duo crack up, a knife from Trowa, and from Zechs a paper that had Heero grinning broadly. A paper that he then handed to Relena, who looked at it, screamed and stormed out of the house as the paper was a restraining order, since her following him tended to screw up his missions.

Then Harry brought out his gifts to hand out, the first going to WuFei.

"My friend, Cho, taught me how to use one, and when I had a spare moment she helped me craft my own, perhaps we could spar some time." Harry explained as WuFei opened the box.

"My God. It's Beautiful where did you find it?" WuFei pulled the sword out carefully and held it gently.

"That's my secret." Harry grinned and turned to hand Heero a small box.

Heero raised an eyebrow and opened the box, looked inside then at Harry then at the object again. He pulled Harry into a tight hug.

"May we talk before lunch?" Heero asked.

Harry nodded then pushed him away as he pulled a packet from behind him and handed it to Duo, who as soon as he touched the paper turned various shades of pink.

"Damn, got me again." Duo said ripping the paper apart. "Sketchpads, and pencils."

"I thought you'd enjoy them."

"Thank you." Duo murmured tracing over the painted cover of the topmost one.

Trowa was handed an intricately designed case that held the travel flute inside, Trowa looked at Harry in shock and held the case to his chest.

Quatre was handed a box wrapped in silk and found inside the violin care set, with a booklet of foods that Harry could make.

Then Harry turned to Zechs.

"Heero never mentioned you in his letters, so I had no idea what to get you. I apologize." Harry bowed and smiled.

"That's oka… Wait, you're friends with Heero?"

Harry nodded.

"How'd you manage that?" Zechs asked.

The others looked up from their gifts, curious as well.

"Would you believe me if I said we met at a dance?" Harry asked.

"We didn't believe it when Heero said it three days ago." Duo said.

Harry laughed,"Well, we did, he asked me to dance, because I was the lesser of two evils."

"Oh, what was the other one?" WuFei asked.

"What else, the Stalker in Pink."

"But that doesn't explain how you two became friends." Trowa pointed out.

"Whenever I needed to talk to some one Harry was available." Heero said. "And he never judged or pushed, there was that one time he asked if killing him would make me feel better, but that was the only time we mention killing each other."

"We both had secrets that we needed to keep and that is how our friendship formed, by respecting that we couldn't always tell one another the truth, so we didn't mention any thing." Harry took over. "Now, I'm going to make lunch, put your toys away, Duo would you take Heero's, he's going to help me with lunch."

Duo nodded and they all scattered.

"So, what did you want to say?" Harry asked when he and Heero got to the kitchen.

"I'm sorry I got so mad this morning."

Harry smiled. "I know, and Quatre really shouldn't have told you about our conversation on the roof."

Harry gathered the items needed for steak and mashed potatoes.

"I don't know how you found out, but I shouldn't have reacted like I did, I was embarrassed. Besides Quatre wasn't the only one to get mad at me, WuFei mentioned that your pranks were the only things that had all of you in them." Heero said as he peeled and cut the potatoes.

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that one of them noticed, figured it would be Duo, what with our similar backgrounds." Harry mused.

"Duo puts his all into everything; he said that every day is a day to be happy you are alive."

"He's right, but it's hard to be happy sometimes."

"What do you mean?" Heero asked, putting the potato pieces into the water and watching Harry season them.

"You never knew you parents, Heero, never met people they met, my aunt told me they died in a drunken car crash, then I found that they were murdered, then I found that my father was a bully, it's hard knowing about them and not having known them. There are days I wonder if they would like the person I've become."

"They are." Heero said softly.

Harry looked up from cooking the steaks.

"You are the only person I know that can constantly pull pranks on WuFei and still have him like you, you can disarm and derail Quatre as easy as you can make a pie, and Duo has never like eating healthy before you came, Trowa has never taken a gift like the one you gave him without saying it was too expensive even from Quatre, and I wouldn't have Duo if it weren't for your advice, I would have told him no, keeping our friendship rather than risk losing him. If your parents aren't proud then they are foolish and you're better without them."

Harry smiled at Heero brushing his hand across his eyes.

"I'm glad we met." He whispered.

Heero smiled back "Me too, Little brother." Heero ruffled Harry's hair. "And you can go back to pranking us and headquarters, just warn us first or do it at lunch or breakfast so we don't ask people why they are laughing."

"Who laughed at you?"

"Mailing." Heero said as the others entered. "Why?"

"No one laughs at my family and gets away with it, May Duo and I be in a room alone so we can make a plan of att, um, escape?"

Everyone shot them curious looks and Duo an exited one.

"WuFei has to accompany you."

Harry grinned as he turned to WuFei.

"I plan to help restore the honor the Mailing people stole form you by daring to laugh at you when I had pranked you and not being apologetic, will you help me and Duo plan a prank worthy of restoring your honor?" Harry questioned.

WuFei thought for a moment before nodding.

The others looked at Harry in surprise, and Duo grinned evilly.

"No one will ever see us coming, Death, Justice, and Patience." Duo said excitedly.

"The Marauders of the Preventers." Harry laughed. "Fear us, we have Heero's approval."

The others laughed and Heero sighed.