Author's Note: Here we go another chapter I like this one a lot I have no idea why but it appeals to me a lot more then the others I'm working on. I got to get some of these things stories done but bah I'm so lazy anyway another chapter done and we will see how it goes.

Second Chance

Part 04 - Don't Lose Touch

"Please tell me I'm not the only one

that thinks we're taking ourselves too seriously."

"Hey Metal Man," called Captain Avery, pausing Heero looked up from the papers he was holding. It was a week since his return to base and he's been run ragged with paper work and new recruits that seemed to never know their ass from a hole in the ground. " Cap A, sup man?" slapping his hand against his friend he paused, "When did you get back from assignment?" The two chatted for a bit before a runner found them with a message for Heero to report to the Docs. "Well that's my que," with a parting word the two separated and Heero headed into the lab, "Hey guys how is it today?" there was a chorus of hello's around the room. "We worked the skin Captain," nodding he held out his arm watching as the slide the new whatever it was on. It took about ten minutes for them to get it properly connected.

Flexing he nodded satisfied, "Now the eye," the Doctor said holding out the glass covering they pushed it in. Blinking Heero looked around feeling it settle properly into place. "Nice," he muttered happily he jumped off the table and was pulling his shirt back on when he heard an happy laugh of a young child. He looked to the Doc who for once seemed to be smiling, "Would you like to see?" with a nod Heero followed the man around the corner.

It was a young boy no more then three years old a mop of golden curls bounced around his head as he giggled running around the room. His mother sat on the floor looking very teary eyed, as Heero watched the boy rounded a corner coming to his mother laughing with abandon now and Heero saw why, the boy had a leg like his own. "He's one of our volunteer's for the program he was born with only one leg, this is the first time he's walked, and ran," he said with a smile.

Heero felt tears gathering in his still good eye, his eyes never leaving the laughing boy as he continued his laps around the room. He wasn't paying much attention to the mom until she was standing in front of him crying. "Thank you for what you've done Captain…" blinking he looked at her dumbfounded. "They told me you were the prototype. Without the information you provided Caleb would never have walked, thank you so much." With a watery smile she turned back to her son laughing as she began to chase. Heero had no words.

-#-#-#-

Duo looked at the time on his laptop trying not to let his impatience show, it was Tuesday night and that meant that it was movie night with Heero. It had been a tradition since the war when they were together and somewhat close to a movie theatre and when they weren't it was a rented movie and microwave popcorn. Heero loved film, all films he was willing to see anything, and Duo secretly loved them as well. What he loved the best however was spending time with Heero.

4:50, ten minutes to go and he began packing up his papers filing them away until tomorrow. "What you seeing tonight Duo?" Trowa called across the room also packing up. The stoic man shrugged, "Maybe the new sci-fi or the action one…or horror." He mumbled trying to decide in his own mind as he muttered to himself. Glancing back to his computer he bit back a sigh of exasperation 4:55. "Hello boys how's pushing paper?" Heero strolled into the office looking very different in torn blue jeans, black converse, and a plain white t-shirt the grey hoodie sleeves pushed up. "Hi Heero!" Trowa smiled finished tidying he stood to leave, "Have a good night boys." He said with a wave and was head out, Heero waved back turning to his silent partner. "Ready Duo?" he asked smiling. Nodding Duo bent to fish out the last of his papers. He missed the thumbs up Trowa gave Heero on the way out, and Heero's nervous smile as he returned the gesture.

Straining for his task he looked to Heero standing waiting patently in the centre of the room. He looked like Heero today they had fixed his eye and his arm the smooth synthetic skin looked real and Duo knew it felt real as well. He looked like Heero, in every way possible. Smiling Heero put his hands in his pockets the movement pulling is shirt taught across his chest, the outline of the metal plate visible coupled by a faintly glowing blue. "Ready?" he asked softly Duo nodded hesitantly pushing aside dark thoughts he followed the taller man out.

-#-#-#-

Heero shifted nervously in his seat his mind not really on the movie, he felt the crinkle of paper in his pocket and with it his nerves continued on edge. He glanced to Duo large violet eyes locked in fixation on the picture making Heero half smile he had a great fondness for movies but what made it the best was the Duo. He knew the slim man loved movies.

Heero sighed bored he was alone in the safe house, Duo had to go out and rendezvous with the others to show them where they were, he would have gone as well except the last mission he'd suffered a rather bad crash and here he sat nursing bruised possibly broken ribs. Ambling around the house in baggy sweats, he sighed again wincing in pain he had better find something to do before he expired form boredom. His slow walk lead him through the tiny living room where he noticed Duo's laptop still running. Intrigued he wandered over of course it was locked with a smile he cracked his knuckles he was pretty good at cracking Duo's pass codes he began with the usual ones Deathscythe, Duo, Maxwell…humming he pondered a moment before on a whim he typed in Wing the screen saver disappeared and he grinned that was easier.

Curious he began poking around the files hoping to find something interesting, something that surprised him. "Like gay porn…" he muttered, that would be something. Also something to give him hope…instead he found templates for mission reports old mission files, e-mails from the docs, schematics…sighing he was about to give up when he came across a file tucked away in another file titled movies excited he clicked on it pay dirt Duo was human after all he had porno's. Much to his surprise inside the folder were many other folders titled by genre. Randomly clicking on the one that read action he scrolled through the titles there had to be at least fifty movies. He felt his jaw drop, going back he clicked on the different folder, "Wow Duo….you're a total movie buff!" there had to be like 300 movies on this laptop. "How much hard drive space do you have?" he mumbled.

He heard the lock on the front door rattle quickly he closed all the windows and moving the cursor to the corner of the screen pulling the screen saver up. Shifting to the end of the couch he feigned sleep cracking an eye he watched as the rest of the gang shuffled in. Duo making a b-line for his laptop, settling beside Heero on the couch. "Hey Duo everything go well?" He asked trying to be nonchalant, Duo gave him a grunt of sorts Heero assumed that was an answer. "So we busy tonight Duo?" he continued his casual attitude, "Because we have to lay low but I did really want to see that new action movie…thought maybe you'd like to go." He said watching the other closely.

Heero felt watching Duo was an art he watched as his fingers stilled on the keyboard. He could almost see his mind churning…he'd found Duo's soft spot. He had every intention of exploiting it.

Heero was brought back to the here and now as the credits began to roll across the screen, and people where now discussing the movie in hushed voices as hey made their way to the exit. Heero to nervous of what to come was silent all the way to the their shared jeep.

Duo not minding the silence settled into the passenger seat happy to once more be near to Heero. Clearing his throat Heero glanced at his partner out of the corner of his eye, "Feel like a bit of a drive?" He asked tying to sound casual, Duo nodded. It was only seven and the days where getting longer as they summer wore on. Grinning Heero moved out the lot hitting the highway.

The fifteen minute car ride passed in silence as they left the city heading for the out laying areas. Duo was rather happy he liked getting out of the city he had always perfect the country, and if he missed his guess they were headed towards the lake. Duo smiled inwardly, maybe Heero was going to take them swimming…maybe they were going skinny dipping. Duo blushed shaking his head. But he couldn't help the little grin that slipped past his defenses.

Heero didn't think he'd been this nervous in a long time, his eye was telling him there were almost there. He had broken out in a cold sweat, and his hands felt clammy. They had reached the driveway and turning up the gravel drive, he flet questioning blue eyes on him. Duo was confused, violet eyes looked at the medium sized two story house with the large tree in the front yard. His confusion mounted as they reached the house parking in front of it.

Heero shut down the jeep, leaning on the steering wheel looking a the house a small smile on his face. "Heero?" Duo asked in his quiet voice, he looked confused and unsure. Without a word Heero pulled the paper work of his back pocket passing it over. Violet eye looked at him once before scanning the papers Heero had handed him. Heero's magic eye rolled across to his partner, the stats telling him everything from his height and weight, to hair and eye colour. He wished it could tell him what was going through Duo's mind.

The minutes stretched on as Duo read again and again what the paper was telling him. Heero had bought this house. He owned this house. Why? He looked to Heero the confusion gone a question in its place instead. "Duo I bought the house with the hope…that when our 10 years is up we can move out here." Duo blinked, once, twice, absolutely stunned. "Yes Heero…" the other watched as that beautiful smile and shy dimple appeared. It was all worth it.

TBC…