A.N.: Well, I think I managed to write a longer chapter this time. Not much longer but… It's a fast chapter, or so it feels to me, and the truth is slowly coming up. I'll dedicate this to my grandmother, it was her birthday yesterday. Nice reading, everybody!

Chapter 6

When Rashid and Duo arrived the following morning, they found Quatre waiting for them in the hall. He was pacing and fidgeting, a clear sign that something was troubling him, but not enough that he couldn't receive his friends with an honest smile.

"It's so good to see you, guys."

"I knew you'd miss us." Duo smiled clapping the blonde on the back. "You sound like you had a hard time though."

"Yeah." Quatre smiled wearily, and Rashid frowned. "I think I may need therapy when this is all over… But we can talk about that later. You should rest now."

"Yes, that's a good idea." The older man said heading towards the kitchen. "We'll talk over lunch. We need to have a very serious conversation." He gave his young master one last look over his should before disappearing behind the door.

"You want me to tell you?" Duo asked at the blonde's worried gaze.

"No, it can wait." Quatre motioned in the direction of the other man's bedroom and they started walking. "There are other things I need to discuss with you."

During their short walk to Duo's bedroom and then throughout the entire morning the blonde related to his friend all the things that had happened in his absence, adding his thoughts and feelings at each moment to try and make Duo understand just how messed up he was. When he finally finished the American could only gap replaying the whole story in his head until he came up with something to say.

"You're telling me that, in two days, the guy went from defying and snarling to respecting and understanding? Man, you really should start a slave taming business."

"Duo, did you hear anything I just said?"

"Of course, I did!" the braided man replied with indignation. "And I think he's falling for you." His smile did nothing to improve Quatre's mood, instead it made him frown.

"How could he be? He's threatened to kill me. He's refused to kiss me. He's mocked me… How does all that make you think he's falling for me?"

"Come on, Quat'! You were the one who taught me to analyze people's feelings through their actions. He's falling for you but he doesn't want to so he pushes you away as best as he can."

"Okay… I can't believe you just thought all that."

"I do think sometimes, you see." Duo chuckled but it quickly turned into a sigh when he saw his friend's expression harden again.

"I'm not sure you're right about that though… And let's not forget Trowa."

"Hadn't you already decided to break up with him?"

"Yes, but he's such a nice guy and I do like him a lot." The blonde looked straight into his friend's eyes. "Wouldn't it be a mistake?"

"Well… Who knows?"

"That's why I hate this situation so much." Quatre shook his head distressed.

"It's lunch time now so why don't we head to the dinning room? Maybe, after you listen to what Rashid and I have to say, you'll find it a lot easier to make a decision…"

The blonde didn't have a good feeling about that, Duo sounded too serious for his liking and the tense silence that took charge of the room as they started to eat didn't make things any better. Zoraide sat on her usual chair by the corner, her quiet reassurance the only thing Quatre could hold on to when Rashid turned a grave look towards him.

"What were you thinking? Moving the slave to a guest room?" there was more concern than anger in his tone which the blonde was grateful for. He didn't think he could stand anger in his current state of nerves.

"Did you see where he was sleeping? That place cannot be considered a bedroom."

"That's where slaves are supposed to sleep! They're dangerous and that's why you have to keep them as far from you as possible."

"Heero's not dangerous." Quatre maintained his normal tone, he had nothing concrete in which to base his statement but his heart had never failed him.

"Isn't he? The man who sold him to Mr. Maxwell has been sent to prison for selling slaves who should be dead… Murderers."

"So what you're trying to tell me is that Heero's one of those murderers."

"We went to the prison…" Duo interrupted before a heat argument started. "and we talked to the guy… He admitted he was making quite a lot of money from selling the slaves that people gave him to kill. He was proud of what he had achieved."

"But what about Heero?"

"He doesn't have many slaves who stayed with him for years so he remembered the brat very well." Said Rashid as he pushed away his empty plate. " 'Too intelligent to be a slave.' He said. 'He was hard to sell.' I asked him about the slave's past, where he'd come from, if he had indeed killed someone. The man laughed obviously pleased with whatever knowledge he had."

"Rashid almost punched him then…" the braided man tried hard not to laugh but failed miserably as he remembered the older man's barely restrained expression at the occasion.

"When he finally calmed down…" the Arabian resumed the story giving Duo a not very friendly look. "He put on a hideous smile and said, 'He did not kill just anyone… Do you remember the Vice Foreign Minister Darlian's mysterious death? It's been some ten years now… His wife gave me the slave right after and asked me not to say a word about it. Now, could you, please, get me out of here?' and that was the end of our little conversation."

"I can't believe that…" Quatre had to shook his head to clear it. "Couldn't he be lying?"

"Whether he was lying or not the important thing is that we get rid of the slave as soon as possible."

"No. We won't do anything until I've heard Heero's version."

"He may lie."

"That's for me to judge." The blonde stood up. "But I'll go to the police station right away and make a few inquiries about Mr. Darlian's death."

"I'll go with you. It's been some time so there should be no need for them to hide information from us." Duo said already on his feet.

"I'll let the boy know you'll be needing him when you're back." Said Zoraide with her gentle smile, and Quatre nodded before turning to leave. Rashid shook his head in resignation, his young master would never change.

The walk to the police station was short and uneventful as the American related a few more moments of the journey to his friend. At the station, the blonde was received and treated like a king for the Chief Inspector was a big admirer of his father. He led them to a small back room where they would be able to speak privately.

"So," the old Inspector sat behind an oak desk crossing his fingers in front of his tanned face. "how may I help you, Mr. Winner?"

"We've been doing a research on important politicians and figures that marked our continent's history during the last two decades." He made a brief pause to make sure the older man had understood him, as nothing was said he continued. "And we came upon one Mr. Darlian, who died about ten years ago…"

"Yes, I remember Darlian. I used to work in Cairo when he was killed. I helped in the investigation."

"You did?" the two young men smiled in delight. "Then you will be sure to help us!"

"I'm not so sure." The Inspector shook his head as he pulled a cigarette out of his pocket. "Would you mind if I smoke?" the blonde motioned him on, and when the cigarette was lit the older man leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful expression as if reliving his past. "There was a lot of blood… Too much in fact to belong only to the victim but the wife insisted it had been suicide, even though we could find no weapon by the body. The daughter had been talking to her when we arrived… I have no doubt that they were planning their lie. They may have been trying to protect the culprit or they may have committed the crime themselves… But there were no proofs and I guess it's too late for conclusions now."

"That sounds messy…" Duo commented with a frown.

"Very." Quatre agreed standing and offering his hand to the Inspector. "Thank you. That'll be of great help to our research."

After the blonde promised the older man that he and his father would visit more often, they headed home and straight to the study while Rashid went after Heero. They had discussed everything that had been said until then on their way home, formed a dozen different theories but only one person would be able to confirm anything.

When Heero entered in the room he found two pairs of eyes immediately on him. Quatre didn't hold his gaze for long, probably still ashamed of what had happened the night before, but the braided man did and he looked awkwardly serious. Rashid pointed him a chair and even though he had previously disobeyed him, this time, he found no strength to do so.

"We want you to tell us exactly what happened to Mr. Darlian." The older man said sitting beside the slave.

"Please." The blonde added not wanting that to be an order.

Heero watched all of those men carefully. Rashid seemed sure of his guilt, Duo looked merely curious, but Quatre… The slave could see hope and worry in his eyes. It was the first time someone actually wanted to hear his side of the story, the first time he hadn't been immediately convicted.

"I'll tell you everything as it happened."