Chapter 7: Friends Return

Quatre looked up at people entered his office to talk about the party. "I thought you two were not going to show up. I thought you two would be on the other side of the universe by now." He set his quill down and walked towards them. "I am glad we are on better terms now, Mr. Peacecraft." Quatre extended his hand towards him.

Zechs smiled at him and shook his hand lightly. "Like wise, Noin wanted to come here and would not let me out of her sight so I was forced to come but I might enjoy myself." He looked at where Noin was admiring some artwork and then back at Quatre. "Where shall we stay while we await this party you are throwing?" He asked and walking over to Noin and holding her loosely to him.

Noin shivered at his touch so enthralled in the painting. "Quatre it is good to see you again? I trust you and Dorothy are doing well?" She smiled at him and then looked at Zechs blushing a little. "Don't ask him that, there are plenty of hotels around that would be nice to stay at." She patted his hand and sighed.

Quatre laughed a little. "By the way, you could always stay with me, I already have Trowa and Catherine staying here. Though it was totally by accident that they decided to stay until the masquerade." He went back to his desk, shaking his head. "Poor girl, she was attacked in a dark alley, raped and then on top of that she lost her sight. We don't know how to get it back." He sat down and laid his hands on his desk, palm down. "I am afraid I have done all in my power that I can to heal her." He held his hands up helplessly. "I don't know what to do anymore."

Zechs smiled at him. "Something will turn up at some point it always does. Now about those rooms?" He asked sitting down across from the desk.

Noin shook her head at him. "Now Zechs, we don't want to impose..." She trailed off as she saw Quatre waving his hand like it was not big deal.

"Don't worry about it I need the company to deal with Dorothy, she gets so angry because I don't pay attention to her." He looked at his papers; all neatly stacked just like his life. 'Maybe she is good for me, my life seems too organized. "Now about those rooms, they are on the east wing I will get one of the butlers to help you find your way there, even I get lost here. Anyway he can help you with your luggage as well." He stood up and smiled at them. "This way." He came from behind the desk and let them follow him out of the room.

Noin kept her eyes glued to the walls admiring the décor. "You have a nice home, I remember you were the most calm of the gundam pilots." She looked at a suit of armor and was glad they were not that primitive anymore.

Zechs watched the young man in front of him. "So how long do you think these agreement of peace will last? I reason that you have been watching the treaties to make sure that there is nothing trying to start the war?" He put his hands in the pockets of his trench coat a sudden chill at the idea of another war.

Quatre shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? I have been trying to maintain the peace here but this is not the center of the universe, and I am but one man. Your little sister, Relena, has been taking care of peace in her own nation, and luckily she has the advantage of them actually believing in her. She was a born ruler, obviously, she is a Peacecraft after all." He laughed a little at his words. "But like I said peace has lasted this far, let us hope that it last at least until we are long and dead, and that our descendents can handle the enemy." He opened up door to his left and let them pass through. "This is where you will reside until after the party. My servants will be most helpful in any way they can be. And with that I bid you farewell, I must return to my papers." He shut the door behind him and let them investigate their room.

Zechs took his trench coat off and set it on a hook in the wall. "Nice room, "He looked at Noin as she sat down on the edge of the bed. "What are you thinking about Noin?" He asked as he kneeled down in front of her putting his fingers underneath her delicate chin and slightly tipping it towards his face to look into his eyes.

Noin felt a shiver at his touch and smiled. "I just feel sorry for Catherine, maybe we can find some cure for her." She crossed her ankles and laid her hands gently in her lap. "And I feel something is coming, something terrible is about to happen and I fear that we are in the midst of it." She hugged herself tightly and shivered a little from a sudden gust of wind.

Zechs closed his eyes and kissed her forehead softly, "Do not worry about it, I am sure you are just over reacting." He looked over at the huge window that was on one of the walls. "It is just we are not used to this place, it feels like it is on the verge of war, or on the verge of peace. They don't know what they want." He stood up. "We should get going didn't you want to visit with the pilots?" He asked as he looked around the room for a place to unload his bag, which had just come into the room.

Noin nodded her head. "Yeah but I want to wait until all of them are here. Knowing Trowa he will be too wrapped up in tending to Catherine. Let's just rest, we had a long trip here and my body is wore out." She lay back on the bed and covered her eyes with her arm sighing softly.

Zechs smiled at her. "Very well I will let you rest, I'll just read that novel I started." He sat down in front of the fireplace and pulled out his book.

Trowa panicked as he went into Catherine's room, seeing that the bed was empty. 'Ok maybe she just went out or something.' He groaned at the very idea of her going out alone, in her condition.

In town...

Catherine let Dorothy lead her around since her sight had not returned yet. "Ok Dorothy, where are you taking me?" She asked feeling odd with the bags in her hands. She had no clue what Dorothy had bought her, and was beginning to be afraid that Dorothy had picked something revealing out.

Dorothy smiled as she reached the shop she had been looking for; it was like one of those knick-knack shops where you could find almost anything. "Just a little story you might like." She looked on the shelves and frowned not finding what she was looking for. "Excuse me, miss I was wondering..." She then whispered to her what was wrong and looked at her with pleading eyes. "You have to have something that will help her get it back?" She was beginning to wonder if coming here was such a good idea.

The woman smiled at her and went to the back, coming back with in a few minutes with a small vile. "Put this in her eyes lightly, you must do this every few days and her sight will return for oh..." She put a finger to her lip. "For about 12 hours." She waited for Dorothy to pay her.

Dorothy grabbed the vile from the Russian woman and gave her the money. "Thanks again, and we will be sure to listen to the directions." She went back to Catherine and grabbed her arm. "Now time to take you home and fit that dress of yours." They left the store and headed back towards the mansion.

Catherine was wondering what Dorothy had been talking to the storeowner about, feeling a slight excitement about the mystery and the fact that she might be able to see after this little outing. "When is the masquerade again?" She asked as she was shoved into a car by Dorothy and then heard her shut the door behind her.

Dorothy went to the driver's side and opened the door, then slide in. "Oh in about 2 to 3 days, it really depends on when everyone gets here. Quatre does not like to wait 'til the last minute like most people I know." She smiled a little at that. "Unless it comes to the opposite sex, which reminds me, you were going to help me lure Mr. Prince Charming into my awaiting arms." She began to drive the car towards the mansion. "I was thinking that me and you team up and arrive mysteriously in the dance sweeping both our men off of our feet. Maybe we can get the other girls into it as well." She laughed at what Relena would think.

Mansion...

Quatre looked up again seeing that a strange man with short brown hair came in. "Excuse me can I help you?" He asked and stood up, placing his pen down beside his papers. "Are you a new employee?"

The man looked at him in horror at first and then started laughing. "I can't believe you don't remember me." He shook his head chuckling a little. "Quatre I never thought you would gain a sense of humor in the short 3 years it has been. It's me Duo, the god of death has returned." Duo stood there waiting for Quatre to remember him.

Quatre just stared at him. "Duo what happened to your braid?" He asked looking at his friend. Duo was still wearing that black outfit he had always worn so long ago. His attention drifted to the door as it opened and closed again, revealing this time a young woman with short dark hair.

Duo pointed at her with a steady finger. "She spit gum in my hair." He cast a glare at her and she waved guiltily. "She was complaining that my hair was too long and then the next day I found wads of chewing gum in my hair. It was gross."

Hilde smiled shyly. "It is not my fault that your hair is a mile long." She looked at Quatre and nods her head. "I just may have gotten a tad bit carried away."

((Sorry I did not update sooner but I have this nagging feeling that no one is reading my story and that maybe I should just rewrite it. Review please!!))