Disclaimer: This story is rated M for violence, blood, language, etc. We do not own Gundam Wing or profit from it. Trust me, we are far too violent and evil to make something like Gundam Wing.

Notes: This story is collabed entirely with Cltcmistress, who can be found on here as well. She writes every other paragraph, so credit is due to her as well! And please review, feedback is encouraging, but it also helps us write better.

Warning: More Quatre beating in this chapter. Nothing too rough.

Special thank you to wind dancer1981 for correcting me! :D


Heero scowled at the panel. How could he have let this happen? "Damn she was good." He continued to enter commands into the computer. "Have either of you had any luck finding out what it was she was after?"

Trowa looked up, before he suddenly paused in typing and grabbed his head. "Hm."

Wufei glanced at Trowa. "Barton?"

Heero glanced over before resuming work.

"He's calling me." He turned around as if there were someone standing behind him.

Pausing for a moment, Heero turned and studied him. "He's calling you?"

Wufei scowled. "You can hear him?"

Trowa smirked. "It is not the first time." [1]

Wufei raised an eyebrow. "You've been able to sense him before?"

Heero returned to the computer without a word. Quatre and his 'skills' had ceased to surprise him long ago.

"He called to me when he-" Trowa grabbed his head again, squeezing. "Ungh!"

This time Heero turned and gave the pilot his full attention. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure. I felt his pain, then nothing," Trowa sat down at the computer and started typing frantically. "Heero, is there anyway we can backtrack her system to find her current location?"

"Only if that laptop she had goes back online and is able to send and receive signals." Turning back to the monitor he began punching in a new series of commands. "We can use the signature her computer left in the system and add a sniffer to it. When her system is back up and running, our system will backtrack it and find her location."

Wufei leaned over Trowa's shoulder. "What is it you plan on doing once you know her location?"

"I'm going after Quatre."

Nodding, he continued to scowl at the screen. "And when we find her, we destroy that one called Zero."

Heero looked over his shoulder. "I thought you didn't fight women?"

"I will not fight a bleeding heart or a woman, but Zero is no woman." He turned and faced Heero. "Zero is a psychotic disgrace to her gender and should be destroyed."

Heero laughed out loud, before turning back to the computer. "Affirmative." [2]


The next day Zero tapped on Duo's door, adjusted her uniform and waited patiently. Welcome back, Mr. Maxwell. Now let's see where your loyalty lies...

"Zero." He greeted her. "Where is Quatre?"

"He's secure." She smiled kindly. "It's good to see you home and with the people who care for you."

"Yes." He nodded, but looked worried. "May I see him?"

"In a moment." Stepping forward she placed a hand gently on his cheek. "Pardon my being so forward, Duo. But I wanted to tell you that I'm glad you returned. Thank you for saving me back there." And thank you for making this simply all too easy.

"You are a lady, Zero." He lowered his head. "You're welcome."

"And you're such a gentleman." Removing her hand, she returned to a more formal stance. "As for the blonde. The pilot Mr. Winner has been most uncooperative. In fact, he has been quite rude to me. I was taken aback at just how he behaved in the presence of a lady. I was hoping that since you were such an excellent student, you may be able to help teach him some manners and proper respect for a lady."

Duo's eye's widened in shock. "What... How?"

Zero frowned. "Did those boys cause you to forget our lessons, Mr. Maxwell? What do you mean by 'how?' "

"No, I understand."

She smiled at him sweetly once more. "Good. Now why don't you go have a... shall we say, discussion with Mr. Winner. Help him with a lesson. I'm sure you remember enough of our lessons to pass them on to him, correct?"

"Correct, but I-" He look at his feet.

"But what, Duo? Do you disagree with my attempts to make him a better person? Do you think he should continue to be so rude and inconsiderate in the presence of a lady?"

"No Zero. I'll go at once."

"There's the Duo I know." She smiled and reached up to straighten his tie. "You look so sharp in this uniform, Duo. I'm very proud of you. Now it's your turn to help someone else the way I helped you."

"Yes ma'am." He saluted before turning sharply on his heel and went to find Quatre.


Duo knew which room to look for Quatre. There was only one place he could be if Zero had talked with him. Opening the door, he froze for a moment at the sight of the blonde bound and unconscious in the chair. The room smelled slightly of bleach and he noted that while the floor was free of any spots, Quatre's slacks had a fair amount of blood on them. He closed the door behind him gently and went over to the unconscious pilot. "Quatre." He shook his shoulders gently. Lord only knew what sort of damage Zero had inflicted on the blonde. "Quatre, buddy, wake up."

"Maa?" Quatre raised his head towards Duo despite the blindfold covering his eyes. "La afham." The voice was weak and sounded slightly confused before he lowered his head again. [3]

Duo removed the blindfold and carefully lifted Quatre's head. "Quatre. Wake up. It's Duo." What had Zero done to him?

"Laa." [4]

"Don't tell me no. You know I don't understand most of that, but I know the tone of the word no in any language." He stood and went around to release Quatre from the cuffs. "What did she do? Give you one of her lessons?" He looked at the bandage on the pilot's back and the ones wrapping his arms. Gently, he moved Quatre's arms forward so he could look at them better.

"It doesn't hurt any more, it's gone numb..." He kept his head bowed as he whispered. "I know why you are here, sadeeky." [5]

"No need to go calling me names." He smirked as he peeled back the binding then gasped. At first he was taken aback at amount of cuts and scrapes that ran from fingertip to elbow. Then he smelled it. She packed it with salt! "What did she do to you?"

"The same thing you are here for."

Duo's hands froze. "Quatre, I...." But what could he say? He was right. He had come to teach him a lesson. He shook his head and resumed removing the bloody, salty bandages to exchange them for clean ones.

"You could have left them. What you are going to do hurts more than a physical wound. I do not require your sympathy, sadeeky."

Duo quietly continued to change the bandages taking care to clear the rest of the salt from the wounds before turning his attention to Quatre's back.

"What you are doing is pointless. Just get it over with, so I can go back to 'sleep.'"

He stopped. Dammit. Why did he have to make this so hard? "Is that what you want?" He moved back around and stood in front of him. "Do you want me to just leave you?"

"You already have." He shook his head slightly. "We both know why you are here, let's not play games."

Duo closed his eyes and shook his head. How was it he could feel so sure of himself mere hours ago with Heero threatening to kill Zero, but now that he was back and in this room with Quatre looking so weak before him, he suddenly doubted the Zero's intentions for him? "I'm not going to teach you a lesson, Quatre."

"Then why are you here?"

He looked into the blonde's eyes a moment before looking away. "I don't know anymore..." Zero must have been mistaken. Quatre would never be rude to a lady. "I though I was here to help you 'learn some manners.' But now I don't know. I just feel so confused." What was going on with his head? He felt pulled in so many directions it was dizzying.

"Then let me go." Quatre still refused to look up at his friend.

"I can't do that."

"Then what are you going to do?"

"I don't know." He looked at the table and shuddered. Lord only knew what Zero had in store for the pilot if he left him there.

"Get it over with, Duo. It has to be one of us."

"Whatever." He looked back at the pilot and noticed the restraints keeping Quatre bound to the chair. "You probably need a chance to stretch and move." Kneeling down he released the latch on the cuffs. "This should feel a bit better on your legs."

Quatre pushed up suddenly, rushing towards Duo, but tripped into him and let his head rest on Duo's shoulder, eyes still hidden. "Make your move, 02, or I will be forced to action."

"Wha-?" Duo rose and caught the pilot, shocked for a moment. "I'm not going to torture you, if that's what you want, buddy. Besides, you look too exhausted and weak to really do much damage anyway." He smirked and pushed Quatre away from him slightly.

Quatre lifted his head and looked Duo in the eyes, regret and sadness lining them before they became cold and distant. "Forgive me, then." He whispered as he punched the braided pilot.

Duo released his friend immediately and grabbed his jaw. Damn, that hurt! "I said I wasn't going to hurt you. But maybe you do need a lesson after all. One on how to treat your friends." With that he hauled back and returned the favor. This time the similarity between his thoughts and Zero's words didn't bother him. This time they fueled the fire. "A gentleman doesn't strike another when offered a helping hand."

Quatre staggered back and stopped himself before falling. He lowered his head and shook it. "There are no gentlemen here." I'm sorry, Duo. She'd hurt us both if you didn't follow her orders. It's better this way.

"Any other time I might have agreed with you." He glared at the pilot. "But not this time." Giving his jaw one last rub he looked from the table back to Quatre. "I have just enough honor left to leave without striking you. If you want to be punished so much, do it yourself. There's the table with her toys. Have fun." With that he turned his back and walked to the door.

"Traitor." He spat out as he stood, rubbing his own jaw and glared at Duo.

"Name calling isn't very nice, Quatre. Don't make me tell Zero you were rude to me, too." He smirked over his shoulder. "Besides, you're the one that's trying to get me to hit you. You're the one pushing the envelope."

Quatre dropped to his knees, dropping his stare to the floor. Great, now we're both going to get lessons.

Duo faced the door, waiting for the slew of Arabic insults that were sure to follow. When he didn't hear anything he turned and saw Quatre on the ground. "What? Can't do it? Can't bring yourself to attack me from behind?" What's he doing? Can't he make up his mind? Is he gonna attack again or not?

"I am not the backstabber."

Now he was just getting irritated. Why couldn't Quatre just leave off? "I didn't turn against anyone. It was you four that turned against me. And yes I include you. Rather than staying and fighting for me, you chose to resign and run off to 'follow your heart.' Well you know what my heart says right now? That even though her instructional methods may be a bit of tough love, at least Zero cared to ask I was since leaving!" His fists opened and closed at his sides. Dammit arguing with Quatre could be so infuriating.

Quatre smirked. "Is that what you think?"

"That you abandoned me with the rest or that Zero actually cares?" Just what did the blonde find so amusing? Zero does have some good points. The bit about always being clear in thoughts and actions would sure help right now.

The blonde looked up to him again. "Na'am."

"Did she hit you in the head or somethin'?" Is he trying to get me to teach him a lesson? If he keeps this up we may have to talk about being clear...

"Laa." He returned to his feet and walked calmly towards Duo, stopping just short of arm's length.

"Cut the crap and talk to me, Quatre." He glared at him and took a deep breath. As tempting as it was at the moment, hitting the other pilot was not something he really wanted to do. "What are you at? Do you want me to hit you? Because you're really pushing my buttons now."

"Aasef." He bowed his head. "No English."

Duo shook his head. "Please don't make me do this, buddy. I really don't want to hurt you." Is this really necessary? I could just knock him senseless with one punch.... Damn he's frustrating.

"La afham." He shook his head. "Aasef."

"I said cut it out. Talk to me like a man." He paused before giving the blonde a calculating look. "Or you could hide behind your language like a child hiding behind his mother's skirts." Come on, Quatre. If we're going to do this at least make it worth it. He felt his muscles tense as he waited for his reaction.

Quatre tilted his head to the side before smirking and a smile crossed his face. "Laa."

Duo growled and shoved Quatre back. "Answer me!"

Quatre leaned forward, pressing his face close to Duo's before smirking and whispering. "Laa."

Fine. Duo hauled back and punched his jaw as hard as he could. "If you're not going to talk, I'm at least going to give you a reason."

Quatre stumbled back, rubbing his jaw and glared at the braided pilot. "Shokran."

"If you're going to insult me, have the decency to do it in English so I at least know what I'm angry about." He glared back. "Come on. Use your big kid words. Or your fists. Either one works."

Quatre simply smiled at him and shook his head. "Laa."

Duo shoved again. "Have you lost it?" He shoved again. "What do you want from me?"

Quatre simple smiled. "Aasef. Hal beemkani mosa'adatuk?"

This time Duo grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved the boy into the wall hard. "Whatever you think you're doing, cut it out." He gave him a shake, letting Quatre's head bounce off the wall. "I don't want to hurt you. But you're pushing me past caring, Quat. At least tell me what you're trying to do." He glared into the pilot's eyes, waiting.

He stared past Duo and grinned again. "Laa." He shook his head before reaching up and patting Duo on the top of his.

"If that's how you want it," he pulled him away from the wall abruptly, "that's the way it's gonna be." With that, he threw Quatre against the far wall. "We could have avoided this." He walked over and picked him off the floor. "All you had to do was talk to me." Duo slammed him into the wall again. "But you chose to make it difficult."

Quatre laughed before shaking his head again. "Hm."

Has he lost it!? "I really hoped you were still my friend, Quatre. But I can see now Zero was right." He socked him hard in the gut. "None of you care. If you did, you would have been been more open with me. Y'know, you almost had me going back at headquarters. I thought you just might care. But now I see just how much of an act that was."

"Ungh." He pushed Duo's hand away before catching his breath. When he did, he smiled. "You speak of friends as if you know what that word means. You are no gentleman and I have never seen a lady as revolting as Zero."

Duo scowled. "You waited too long to talk now." This time he pulled his fist back and held it a moment. "So just shut up." He let loose and punched Quatre in the jaw with all the force he had.

The blonde laughed before facing Duo again and spit blood on his face. "Traitor."

Duo wiped the spit and blood from his face. That's why I wear black. You never dirty your gloves. Guess I'm going to have to get new gloves..."You call me a traitor? After all that talk about wanting me to choose what my hear truly wants, you call me the traitor." He threw his head back and laughed. "God, Quatre, you always were the naive one." He punched him in the jaw again, followed swiftly by another blow to the gut.

The blonde coughed and wiped the blood from his mouth. "You were always the weak one."

Duo growled. "Arrogant prick." He grabbed him by the collar and knocked him against the wall before throwing him back into the chair. "You're not worth the trouble it's going to take to wash your blood from my uniform." His fist connected with Quatre's jaw once more.

Quatre wobbled on the chair before leaning over and spitting more blood out. One more hit like that and I'm done. He leaned his head back, opening one eye to look at Duo, but stayed silent. I've lost too much blood to fight him.

Duo watched the blonde for a moment before shaking his head. "You're not worth it," he repeated. Kneeling down he bound Quatre's legs to the chair again before he had the chance to kick him. "I'm through with you." Moving to the back he tugged his arms around and locked them in the cuffs once more. Finally he grabbed the blindfold of the table and knelt before him, grabbing his face and twisting it so he could see his eyes. "I can't believe I ever trusted you as my friend." He tied the blindfold around Quatre's head, checking to make sure it was secure, then rose and stared down at him for a moment. "What a fool I was for listening to you."

Quatre turned his face up towards Duo and he whispered. "I failed the first time, but I couldn't let her hurt you again, Duo. Even if I'm not worth it. That's what friendship means."

That caught him off guard. "What did you say?" He stared, not sure what to think.

A small smile played at the corner of his lips before he dropped his head, completely exhausted. "Set up."

Duo froze. "What," he whispered. "What do you mean?' Did he do this on purpose?

"It had to be one of us." Quatre slouched more. "Too tired..."

He felt the blood drain from his face and his gut sank to his feet. "You did that on purpose? You made me beat you?" He knelt once again at the blonde's feet as he lifted his face gently. "Why the hell would you do that? Why would you make me hurt you after you'd already been through one of her lessons?" He searched his face for an answer, but was too afraid to pull off the blindfold and have to look into those eyes.

"To protect you." He sighed and let his body grow heavy, the darkness was welcoming him anyway.

"Quatre, I... I...." He couldn't finish. There was nothing he could say that would fix the hole he felt opening in his chest. "Dammit, Quatre. You said it yourself. I'm a traitor. I'm not worthy of your protection." Carefully he let go and stood up, backing toward the door. "Are you never going to learn? You can't take everyone else's battles on yourself."

"I..." He slumped heavily, out cold.

I should have seen it. I should have known he was only trying to protect me. He shook his head, took a moment to straighten his uniform, then walked out the door. I'll return the favor somehow. Just hang on.


Zero looked over the reports on her desk. Hmm... This will have to be taken care of quickly. She glanced at the clock before putting the papers back into a file. But first I have something to take care of. Pushing away from her desk she stood and straightened her uniform. Time to pay Mr. Winner a visit. See how his talk with Duo went.

It felt like a gundam had stomped on his head as Quatre struggled to open his eyes. He could feel the strain of being stuck to a chair for almost two days and was desperately dying to get free. He froze as he heard someone enter the room, despite the blindfold he knew it was Zero. There was no point to pretending to be a sleep, but it didn't mean he had to acknowledge her either. He reach out with his mind, trying to sense the air around her, gaining a better understanding of her mood. She seemed please with his condition, which meant Quatre had succeeded in keeping Duo safe. He kept his emotions in check, making sure all she could sense from him was confusion and hurt. Two can play this game, Zero.

"Wakey, wakey." She smiled at the blonde. Duo had surprised her. She didn't quite expect this much enthusiasm when it came to instructing his fellow pilot. "How did you're talk with Duo go? It looks to me like you two had a lot to talk about."

"It went."

"So I see." She reached out and began to stroke his hair soothingly. "Must be rather difficult to be on the receiving end of your friend's fist. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"There is nothing to tell." He pulled his head away from her hand.

Her hand dropped away from his head and she folded her arms across her chest. "Now that's not very nice. I was trying to be nice and comforting, but you're just being rude. I'm beginning to think Duo didn't teach you properly how to behave in the company of a lady."

"Forgive me, Lady, but my head is throbbing. Touching it is quite uncomfortable." No reason to get Duo blamed for this, or that was pointless.

"You should have said something. It would have been more polite to say something rather than pulling away." She smiled. "At least that blindfold is there to protect your eyes from the bright lights. But I bet you must be so tired and weak. It's been some time since you've had anything to eat or drink, I'm sure. Let me help you with that." Turning to the table she opened another cabinet and removed a bottle of water. "This should help a bit." She opened the top and held the bottle to his lips. "Drink."

Quatre could smell the salt as the bottle was pushed up under his nose and he turned away, mouth closed.

"Fine." She lifted the bottle and upended it, letting it pour over his head. "I can see you're too tired from your lesson to be sensible. I'll forgive you this time. Get some rest then, Mr. Winner. You'll need it." With that she strode out of the room, tossing the bottle over her shoulder at the bound pilot.

He shuddered as the water was poured over him, thankful for the blindfold that protected his eyes. When the bottle bounced off his head he felt like getting up and choking the woman into submission. With a sigh he dropped his head. It wouldn't be long until his bond with Duo overtook Zero's and they could get out of here.


Duo walked down the hall, box in hand as quietly as possible. Checking to make sure no one was around to see him, he placed his palm on the biolock and slipped into the room quickly before re-locking the door. "Hey, Quatre. You awake?"

"Yes." He lifted his head in Duo's direction, hoping it wasn't time for another lesson, this back to back stuff with no food was killing him.

He knelt and removed the blindfold. "Thought you might like something to eat. And a chance to relieve yourself." He smirked. "Zero doesn't consider that stuff for her students."

"It's not... more salt water is it?" He gave the braided pilot a weary look.

"Salt water?" That's when he saw the bottle on the floor and noticed just how wet the blonde's hair was. "So you didn't drink it, did you? You pay more attention than I did."

"How could you not smell it?" Quatre wrinkled his nose. "Anyway, I'm about three seconds from urinating on myself..." He gave an odd grin. "Uhm.. could you?"

He laughed. "Yeah." He let Quatre out of the hand cuffs and released the leg cuffs as well. "I can't let you out of here, so I brought you a bottle. That'll have to do."

After he was properly relieved [6] he stared at Duo wearily. "What kind of food is it?"

"Edible food." Duo opened the box and pulled out two sandwiches and a bottle of water. "At least I think it is. And no, there's no salt."

Quatre examined the food carefully before taking a bite. There was no odd taste, no salt, and no faint hint of almonds [7], so he assumed he wasn't going to die. He inhaled the sandwiches as fast as humanly possible before drinking the water in one go.

"Slow down. You don't want to choke to death now do you?" He smirked. "Want desert?" He held up one of those little cakes wrapped in plastic.

Quatre smiled sheepishly before snatching the package out of his hands, eating it too, but more slowly. "I was afraid you'd take it away. Why are you here anyway, won't you get in trouble?"

"I'm returning the favor. But if that's the thanks I get from preventing you from having a lesson with Zero on not soiling your trousers, then maybe I shouldn't come back." He picked up the box and bottles and put them on the table, turning his back on the blonde.

"Hm. I guess we both have something to apologize for then, don't we?"

"Maybe." He turned back around after a deep breath. "I gotta go."

"Shouldn't you return me the way you found me?" Quatre smirked a bit.

"Probably." He shrugged, then chuckled. "You might want to wipe the chocolate icing off your face."

"Hmph." He wiped his face. "You know, Duo, you could just let me go. And leave yourself. We fought so hard to stop a war. Why assist in the beginning of another?"

"And I presume that in the forty eight hours you've been here, you've learned more about them than I did in six months?" He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back against the table. "Do enlighten me."

Quatre turned away. "Fine. You're right. Just hurry up and go so I can prepare for my next torture session with you and your master."

"I thought you said you were ok with whatever I chose. So why the attitude?"

"I don't want to be here. I let you choose, yet I'm here at the will of others. I'm not going to learn her lessons, even if she kills me."

"Hm. Glad we had this talk. Sit down."

"And what if I don't?"

"Please. You say that as though you're in a condition to argue with me."

"I hope you can sleep with your self tonight." He stood, still refusing to sit.

"Sit down, Quatre." He frowned. What s up with him? First he's frustrating. Then he's telling me he did it for my own good. Zero's already been here and she didn't do anything. So what's with the attitude again?

He slowly sat and looked away from Duo, refusing to look at him.

"Thank you." He bent over to put Quatre's legs back in the cuffs. "I could have just left you here without anything."

Quatre grit his teeth in an attempt to silence himself, but he still did not look at Duo.

"Anything else you need before I go? It's your last chance." He rose and then stood behind the chair. "Give me your arms."

He remained silent and left his arms sitting at his side. If Duo wanted them so bad he could get them himself, besides they were suddenly very heavy and throbbed.

He leaned over Quatre's shoulders. "Really? It's gonna be like that?"

He weakly held his arms up a bit, enough that there was an attempt, but still not quite in reach.

"And what about my question?" He reached out to take one of Quatre's arms. "You going to answer that?"

"Which one?"

"Yes."

"I have nothing for either."

"Right." He took both of his arms and pulled them back gently and locked them back in the cuffs. "Sure there's nothing?"

"My freedom."

Duo winced then lifted the blindfold from the table and stood in front again. "Would you like some fries with that?" He smirked, trying to lighten the mood. He'd thought coming back would make things so much easier, but it seemed everything had only become more complicated. Why did he feel so torn? He knew he shouldn't have been so cold to Quatre, but he'd been so aggravating it grated at him.

Quatre just lowered his head, settling back into the same slouched position he was being accustomed to.

Duo frowned. "Quatre, I can't."

"I understand"

He sighed. "Right." His arms dropped to his sides. "Wish I could say the same thing for myself," he whispered.

If Quatre heard the comment, he made no movements to indicate it.

Duo stepped forward and tied the blindfold back over the pilot's eyes. "Both of you confuse the heck outta me." He looked down at Quatre's slumped figure and winced. This just wasn't right. But was Zero really wrong?

"It'll get better."

"Hm." He picked up the box and went to the door, pausing before he opened the lock. "I hope so." Quickly he looked to make certain no one saw him, then slipped out and resealed the door.


[1] Trowa makes a comment in the series he could hear Quatre calling out to him. Anyone remember that? Anyone?

[2] If you read that carefully Heero LOL'd. I was going to change it, but cltcmistress liked it so much it was left in.

[3] "What?" "I don't understand." Quatre was conked out in Arabic, figured I'd wake him up in it. If it is wrong, forgive me. It was given to me by someone who spoke arabic. Blame them! If you speak it better, let me know, we'll fix it.

[4] "No." For the record, "Na'am" is yes. Quatre is answering in Arabic because he is pissed at Duo and not wanting to communicate.

[5] "friend." Quatre doesn't want Duo to understand to how he is referring to him. All I could think of was "GOODBYE FRIEND TROWA!" *wave* Aasef is sorry. Shokran is thank you. Like I said, my arabic speaking friend gave me these words. If you think they are wrong, please correct me and I'll change them. :) Later he asks "Can I help you?" Because Duo keeps shoving him and he is pretending to not understand him. As you can see, I didn't make more author notes. They are a pain for everyone.

[6] There is not a graceful way to say "Quatre took a piss."

[7] There is a poison, cyanide I belive, that has a hint of bitter almonds. I'm assuming a gundam pilot would know to avoid that taste.