Disclaimer: Gundam Wing isn't mine. Duh.

Warning: I don't actually know dick-all about science. Creative liberties have most certainly been taken.

"Choices are the hinges of destiny." - Pythagoras

Summary: In a world where everything has gone horribly wrong, Duo busies himself with a last-ditch effort to escape – and perhaps prevent. But Duo's last-ditch effort pulls him to a different dimension, and he finds that everything he knew no longer exists.


The Hinge of Destiny

Chapter 11

A Chance


Duo paled.

A way to travel between dimensions. A way for him, potentially, to return to his own universe. The one where everyone was dead and everything was gone and nothing remained but chaos and destruction, the one he'd tried to save until he'd wound up here, in the middle of a completely different universe, with the same but different people whom he'd ended up falling in love with and didn't want to leave.

But this might be it? This might be the answer he'd been looking for, the way to take care of the other him without giving up his own life. (Well, not giving up his life like the ability to live, even if he ended up living like an empty shell or a puppet until he was inevitably taken down by the remnants of White Fang.) And he would be – he would eventually die over there, no matter what happened. But he wouldn't be killing himself. He would... it could...

But he didn't want to. He liked it in this universe. He didn't want to go back. He had friends here, all over again. Friends who had once been enemies, rivals who had once been friends. He had a new home. (Well, actually, he was still homeless, but that wasn't the point at the moment.)

Wordlessly, Relena stood from the chair and led Duo to it. He nearly collapsed into it.

He looked over his shoulder, to the man leaning slightly against the wall of the ship. Heero. His heart thumped in his chest at the sight of him. He turned straight back around. Fuck. It wasn't supposed to be doing that. He wasn't supposed to think about Heero first! What was wrong with him? Falling in love with a different version of the same man – that was just messed up.

Which wouldn't be what he was doing, anyway, because he had enough complications to deal with as it was, and that... that would just be... he nearly slammed his head into the desk. Thankfully, the keyboard caught him. It would be really bad.

"Uh, the keyboard..." Howard said. Duo didn't bother looking up. Even practically broken, Heero's laptop wouldn't freak out from a few random buttons being pressed.

"Hm. Interesting."

That, spoken softly by Wufei, was what made Duo lift his head. He stared at the middle monitor, at the text now smack in the middle of the unfinished modeling. "In summary," it read, the block of text shifting back and forth into that gray screen of death, "I hypothesize that these items have been secured due to their high potential threat level."

Reading it took a while, since he had to time his reading with the moments when the text was visible, and when he was done, he slowly read it again to be sure. "Potential threat level? Of a Star Trek portal?"

"It could very easily be used as a weapon," Wufei said. He stood straight, his black eyes glaring down at the monitors. "One could bring weapons back, or send people or objects away – or they could attempt to go back in time, or forward in time, or to assess other dimensions and how they turned out, and manipulate events to suit themselves. I can only surmise that Oz and Romefeller failed to find whatever secret there was to finding these items, or else we would have, at the very least, experienced far more difficulty in defeating them. At worst, with some of the things available there, we may very well have lost."

Duo leaned back in the seat until it squeaked. "But of course Heero got through, because the man's a fuckin' beast." A soft shift of clothing told him Heero had reacted to that in some way. He didn't bother looking back to find out how; he didn't care. Not at all. "But the fact that they didn't redo the estate – that means they at least know it's there, right? Is there any chance Sloan knows?"

"Most likely," Heero said, speaking up for the first time. It was instinct that had Duo turning to him then. He found Heero's eyes on his, and suddenly he was spellbound. "The weapons would make him stronger."

"Then destroy them," Relena said, her lips thin. "Get rid of them. Why does Sanc even have such things?"

"Because," Wufei said. The man's gaze switched from staring at the monitors to frowning slightly at Duo and Heero. "While there is great potential for harm with these machines, they can also do a great amount of good. That energy source looks like it might feed a city for a full month – but of course it could also be used to power terrible weapons. The energy emitted by that device may create a barrier, but it could also be used to crush entire buildings. I've already explained how the portal, if that's what it truly is, could be misused."

Relena shook her head. "So, what? We keep these things, knowing they could destroy the world, and hold them until, what? We have enough to stop anyone who might want to use them for harm?" The look on her face plainly said she didn't think that an appropriate reason. It also sounded, to Duo, like a stupid one.

"Knowing your father, the old Sanc monarch," Howard said, his voice soft, "he likely kept them for the time when humanity matured enough to use them responsibly."

Relena snorted. "That time will never come."

Duo knew better. Really, he did. But he couldn't help himself, nonetheless, from looking at Relena like she'd spit flowers all over his face.

She raised a brow. "What? It's in people's nature to be selfish opportunists. How many wars have we started? How many times have people chosen violence over communication or good will?"

Duo cleared his throat. "I thought you were all for pacifism? Do you think it against human nature? Do you think it's impossible?"

Relena shrugged and leaned against the counter. Duo helpfully moved the keyboard away from hip. "No, not really. There are people out there who help others." She stared right at him at that one. "People who do the right thin, despite the danger."

Duo ducked his head. He tried to cover it with a quick laugh. "Yeah, okay, I get it. Sing my praises."

She smiled brightly. "People like you, like everyone in this room, help others at their own expense. I met a few people like that when on the run – people who gave me food, or shelter, or kindness. But there were far more who tried to take advantage of me, or harm me, or hunt me down. And a huge amount who saw all of this and did nothing. I saw the true nature of humans – apathy. So long as they can have what they want – so long as they're comfortable – they don't care about anything else. Those with empathy, more often than not, are hurt. And hurt. And hurt. Until they, too, learn that apathy is best. That's what humans are. A social creature in a constant, uneasy truce, ready at every turn to betray or be betrayed, because unity is only a word that means 'us against them.'" She took a deep breath. Duo reached out instinctively, his body moving all on its own, to grab her hand. Because yes. Yes. She knew. She understood. Running alone on the streets, trying to survive when everyone else bought fuzzy coats and five pairs of shoes and fifty dollar sconces or posters for the walls of their cozy homes, each and every one of them pretending they don't see the haggard face of the person huddled under the overhang of the store. Relena squeezed his hand tight. "People have the ability to be kind. But they almost always choose not to be, because it takes effort. Because it takes time. Carelessness is so much easier."

Heero shifted again. Duo's shoulders itched at the familiar feel of the glare against his back. What did he do? But while he wanted to check, he didn't want to pull away from Relena. "So why?" he asked.

"Because I don't want to lose my empathy," she said, her voice nearly a whisper. "We have the ability to be kind, after all."

He gusted out a breath. "But that technology – you don't think people will use it for good."

"There will always be someone who would use it to harm. While many would applaud their usefulness, it would only be a matter of time before someone chose to use them to take instead of give."

Duo nodded. "But unfortunately, the technology in your world is spiking. How long before someone who only wants to use it for good makes one?"

She frowned.

"Maybe," Duo said, "old Peacecraft thought of that, too. If these things are going to be used, they should at least be used to help others as much as possible. Or maybe he wanted to find an alternative way to create them that negated, or at least lessened, the dangers. We can't know; it's too late to ask him. In any case, it's your decision now. Whatever you choose, I'll stand by. I just want you to know all the information first. And if nothing else, I highly recommend at least one person, someone you trust, reading all that crap on those shelves."

Relena lifted her chin. "You."

Duo pulled his hand from hers and waved them both in her face. "Oh-ho-ho, no. Not me. Don't force that much reading on me. That's cruel and unusual punishment."

She snorted. And finally, he got a chuckle. "All right. I'll consider it."

Wufei put one hand on the back of Duo's chair. "Good. That's settled for now, then. We'll leave the choice of what you do to you, Miss Darlian. The information found here will not leave this room. But we must also ensure Sloan does not access that vault."

Vault. Huh. Duo guessed it was. "So what? We have no clue where the man decided to run off to, and the one person who might have a good idea hasn't yet shown up." At Wufei's frowning gaze, Duo expanded. "Well, it's not like I wasn't going to try to get Trowa to join us. You know? That kind of is my main goal here."

Wufei gusted a familiar sigh and pinched his nose. Well. That old habit of the other Wufei was present in this one, too. "Maxwell. Tell me you didn't."

"I didn't." Wufei scowled at him. "What? You told me to tell you–"

"You know very well what I meant. You have made this even more difficult for us."

"Duh. Wild card." He waved his hand. "On another note, though, I don't think Trowa's a danger to anyone. If he wants to join us, then he can. If he doesn't, then he can choose that, too. He didn't shoot me, even though he had the chance."

"What?" Relena said, leaning in to look Duo over like he might suddenly projectile bleed all over the ship.

"He – you have no idea what he looked like. Whatever he's dealt with, it's been hell. I wasn't going to turn him out or turn away from him just because the circumstances seemed bad. Five years ago, in another world, he was my brother."

Wufei's mouth opened and closed. He sighed again and slumped slightly. "Fine."

Sally, silent until this very moment, giggled at him. Wufei shot her a dark look.

"What can we expect from him?" Heero asked. Those dark eyes were assessing him to the bone.

"I don't know. He's different. You all are, remember? You aren't the same people I knew."

"What was he like in your universe?" Wufei asked. The question shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. The suddenness of it was what made him flinch. Wufei backpedaled. "My apologies. Of course that would be a cruel question to ask. The losses are still very new to you."

Duo took a deep breath and smiled a brittle smile. "No. It's fine. People die. I've known that since I was a kid." Still Wufei looked less than impressed, and even close to self-recrimination. He hurried to continue. "Trowa was a solid guy. Really solid. If you needed something – anything – he would help. He wouldn't even offer. There was no turning him down. He would just do it, whether you wanted him to or not. Whether it was hiding a body or just listening to you spill your guts. He – oh. You probably meant, like, fighting-wise." He cleared his throat. "Right. Well. He's kind of a dancer, I guess? The guy is crazy acrobatic. When he moves, it's like he's water. I – I can't explain it. Wufei – you're all about form. You move like like – like a panther, I guess? Smooth, but concise, powerful strikes. And Heero's all about power. Like a snake? Or something? Huge, great power, and fluid, but – but his strength makes him slower. He's more likely to strike suddenly, in one strong blow – really, really strong blow – than fight a long, engaged battle. Trowa's more like..." He waved one hand idly, his gaze staring at nothing as he considered. "A swan? No, that's ridiculous. More like... like a dolphin, I guess?"

Howard laughed.

Wufei lifted a brow. "A dolphin."

"Hey." Duo pointed at Wufei's nose. "I will have you know that dolphins suck. They don't just beat the hell out of sharks and shit, they kill porpoises and stuff for fun." Wufei's other brow rose. Duo flushed. "So I might watch some animal shows. Sue me."

"Dolphins are mostly known for their playing in the water," Relena said, bringing the conversation back around the something resembling the original point.

"Right." Duo nodded. "Even when they fight, they do that kind of stuff. They – they leap, they loop around, they... they dance. That's what Trowa does. Every movement has a point, but they're just... pretty." The word sounded wrong, but it was true. Watching Trowa, one couldn't help but hold their breath in wonder. With Heero it was more being dazzled by his sheer ability; his form was purely militaristic. Trowa had learned how to fight just as hard, but his training had been nothing but life itself. While Duo had learned how to hide and strike from darkness, or from camouflage – like a mantis, he liked to think – Trowa had learned to fight with unorthodox moves that seemed to use up too much energy, but always hit. Because on the streets, if it worked, it was good enough. That was how Trowa fought.

"He also takes orders without question," Duo said. "And he's... I mean, let's face it; he's a mystery. He keeps everything close to his chest, so half his decisions, I don't get. But they always seem to work out well."

He found himself twisting Trowa's ring on his necklace and stopped. As if no one had noticed; Heero's gaze was locked on his necklace, and both Wufei and Sally were making effort not to do the same. Relena just leaned on him, giving him something else to do with his free hand by making him have to prop her up.

"You want to take care of him yourself, I suppose?" Wufei asked. Duo nodded. "All right, then. We'll attempt to find Sloan in other ways until then. And I suppose I should get in contact with the pilot up there? Of course I should."

"Quatre already contacted you, though. What do you need to talk about?"

Wufei gave him a look like his brain must have been dribbling out his ears. "We should coordinate our efforts. We're part of a team now."

Duo's breath caught in his throat. Wufei's eyes shone clear, no indication of irony or sarcasm. Duo looked over to Heero. Not one word of argument. His heart thudded in his chest. Could it actually be happening? Could they be forming an actual partnership? Camaraderie? Could it be?

Relena leaned on him a bit harder when his hand twitched to his neck. Right. Right. He nodded dumbly. "Yeah. That would be – that's a good idea." His head floated somewhere above the top of Howard's ship, dancing perhaps even above the decks of Preventers' airship to drift among the clouds. Wherever it was, it wasn't there in the room contributing to anything. "Right," he said again. Or maybe for the first time.

"I... I'm gonna go see... um..." He waved his hands like a demented bird. "Okay. Cool."

"I'll go with you," Relena said, already starting to follow him.

"I'm gonna need you to stay here," Duo said. At the look spreading on Relena's face, he hurried with, "I promised I'd be alone."

Though she frowned rather epically at that, she didn't bother trying to argue. He patted her on the head for the acquiescence, and the action earned him a glare in return. It was a surprisingly beautiful look on her face, no matter that it didn't seem to suit her. Her eyes sparked blue fire. It lit her whole face in a faint light.

He retraced his steps to Senior's room. Hilde slept by the bed, resting now that Senior's message had been successfully delivered. Senior still sat same as he had just half an hour before, pale and ghost-like, the soft susurration of his breath the only indication of life. The heart monitor beeped so softly he'd thought it just some noise of a machine until he realized the sound nearly matched his own heart. He found the machine and watched the little green line spark and jump a few times before turning and leaving the room.

He had no way of knowing whether Trowa had already arrived or not. But if he, taking the more leisurely route, managed to get back, then Trowa in a hurry would have, as well. Well, it all depended on whether Trowa thought he needed to hide away or be cautious. If this didn't work this time, then he would just try over and over again until it did. If he was going to put Senior in danger, then he should make sure he didn't squander the time.

There weren't many places onboard a floating fortress that a person could reasonably expect to be uninhabitated, and even fewer that actually were. Duo made it seem like he was checking out the ship's workings and defenses as he made his way through the generator room, the coolant room, the weapons maintenance rooms, and even cleaning supply rooms, until finally just picking an empty staff lounge room and standing at the door, glaring at anyone who attempted to enter.

After all that wandering, he really didn't expect Trowa to show his face at all. Even if Trowa had gotten to the floating Une 'copter in time to see the older Duo and then wait for Duo to show up, he probably didn't follow Duo all over the damn building just to wait for him to finally find a place where they could speak alone. He waited five, ten, fifteen minutes, and finally had to escape before the receding agents got tired of his shit. Where was he going to go? Back to Senior's room? Back to Howard's?

He stopped in the middle of some gray hall, walking from the smaller office rooms and toward a group of meeting rooms, and scrubbed his hands over his face.

A way to return to his world. A room filled with unknown things. Items that could be used as weapons to completely annihilate the planet, even more thoroughly, perhaps, or at least more creatively than Zechs himself had attempted.

And his world, his dimension. With those weapons still sitting there, waiting to be used by those White Fang supporters, his dimension's citizens completely unknowing and unprepared. And if those supporters ever figured the secret to obtaining them and learned how to use them all, then not only was his dimension in danger, but any other dimension those psychos could get their hands on.

He shuddered. Maybe... maybe he had to go back? Just to level the Sanc estate, to make sure every other dimension was safe.

He clutched at his heart. He didn't want to go. He didn't want to do it. God of death himself, he'd thought he'd been ready to give up his life, but he'd just been holding onto it greedily, fighting Death's Hand every step of the way. And now, now that he knew even this world was in danger from the plague his own had become, he was still flinching from it?

Should he really wait for Trowa? The very thought of betraying him, of leaving him without every speaking to him or holding up his end of the bargain, hurt. But then again, wasn't it just another excuse to put off going back?

"He could simply be your older brother," someone said by his ear. He yelped like a little girl and turned in the air, reaching for a dagger up his sleeve before he recognized the words and realized the person with hair slicked back was actually Trowa. And whoa, did he look weird with his hair actually pulled back. That gaze of his had gone from serious to downright soul-searching. Duo blinked at it a few times before coming to grips with the fact that, yes, Trowa might very well have covered both his eyes simply to keep from scaring the holy piss out of random passersby.

"Oh, yeah? Well... your mom." He thought about that for a second, then, "and why would my older brother also have a braid? And these handsome good looks; no amount of genes could replicate all this."

Trowa's lips twitched, even as his brows furrowed. It looked like an angrier, two-eyed version of his old Trowa's confused face.

The hall wasn't empty, and a couple of people looked at him funny. But they looked at him funny, not Trowa. Even though he was clearly thin, Trowa had apparently decided to use that to his advantage. Tiny fake cups poked his chest out slightly, and his Preventers uniform – and where, pray tell, had he swiped that from? – had that weird flaring thing at the bottom of the shirt going on that said it was a woman's. (Why did Une even have uniforms that differentiated sexes? The other Une hadn't.) Trowa's hair, when pulled back, apparently had a pixie look to it – either that, or Trowa had done it on purpose. Which meant Trowa had hair styling abilities that Duo had never known about.

"Wow," Duo said finally. "I have never seen you with your hair pulled back like that."

Trowa's glare, when he had both eyes, almost made the running for scariest. If only Duo had never seen Heero's. "And if what you said is true? What does that change?"

"It changes your options," Duo said. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, looking for all the world as if he was highly put upon. "While I haven't told the others about you showing up here – though Heero likely knows by now, because there is just no hiding anything from him for long – no, don't freak out about that. Heero's an observer when it comes to information. He won't do anything so long as it's clear you and I are doing something." He moved as if to wave his hand in explanation, then remembered he was supposed to look annoyed. So he blew his bangs out of his face instead. "Don't freak out, but we are on-board Preventers' ship-in-the-sky having a conversation in the middle of a hallway, and Heero has this thing where he has to constantly watch everyone all the time because the man needs to know everything. So while I haven't told anyone anything, that doesn't mean he doesn't know. He is one of us pilots, after all."

While Trowa did not seem fully comforted, he no longer appeared ready to bolt, either.

"Anyway. While I haven't told anyone about you coming here, I have told them about the other you, and about my hopes to get everyone together. Everyone's on board with it. Even Quatre! You know, the one who chased you and tried to kill you? He's very sorry about that, by the way; expect his apology if you stay." A snort. "No, seriously. Quatre and Wufei are just the worst when it comes to apologies. They're so sincere it's embarrassing. No way that's changed. You'll forgive them just to get them to leave you alone."

A small flicker of a smile. A small, infinitesimal light in those serious eyes. Duo dared hope for even more.

"I can't say you'll all get along, because I know you guys aren't exactly the same as those I knew. And even the guys I knew got into fights a lot. But they stuck together. Which means you have the option to not be alone anymore. Though why you're alone I have no idea; did you and Cathy pitch a bitch-fest or something?" Trowa gave him a blank look. And something like horror brewed in Duo's chest. "Oh. No – no Cathy? Did you not meet her? Fuck. I'll see if I can find her for you. If she's – I'll see what I can do."

"Who is she? My wife?" Trowa asked.

Duo shuddered. "Oh, gods, no. Ew. What? Uh, more like a sister than a girlfriend. A very overprotective sister? Although the two of you were getting some sort of test in my world – my dimension – to see if you were actually related. I don't know. You didn't talk about it. You – he – said he didn't want to get his hopes up. And maybe you won't get along with her here. I don't know. But at least there's something more to look for than – than whatever shit's happened to you recently."

The entire time he spoke, Trowa's expression didn't so much as flicker. No more half-smiles, smirks, or pulled brows. Nothing. Pure Trowa poker face. Whatever was going through his head, he wasn't impressed by Duo's words. Not that he needed to be, or even should have been, because really, if anyone popped into Duo's life and told him what Duo had just spouted off about, Duo would have laughed the idiot right back out of his life.

"Whatever the case," Duo said softly, "I don't want you to be alone. Even though you aren't my Trowa, I already know you're a good enough guy to not shoot someone who has no intention of shooting you, even when your back is to the wall. Isn't that enough reason for me to want to help you?" He thought about that as someone passed them, their gazes so solidly not looking at them it was plain they wanted to listen in. "Well, it may seem weird. If I was still on the streets, it would definitely be weird. We would have to test you a little first. But what the hey! I'll risk it. Why not? Why not be stupid every once in a while? It's good to give your poor brain a break every sometimes."

"Your brain seems to have had too long of a break."

The shock of it made him laugh more than the joke. Trowa looked angry with himself for saying it. Or, well, maybe he was still keeping himself under wraps, and the default look with two eyes was just too different from the look with just one that Duo couldn't tell anymore if he was apathetic or pissed. "Sure, if that's what it takes to get you to at least consider what I'm saying. I'm willing to be an idiot if it works." He grinned. "Well? Will you at least let me treat you to some food or something? I think you're even taller than the man I knew, and that means you need even more meat on you to stay even the healthy sort of slim." Trowa didn't look pleased. "Or just money? Or a drink? Something, man, I feel like I'm looking at one of those dogs on those animal shelter advertisements."

"So you pity me."

"Of course I'm feeling pity! Dude, your uniform is pulled in at the waist and it still sags. And your little fake-boobies aren't even properly tenting that cotton-polyester blend. I feel bad for it. The shirt, I mean. It's trying so hard, but there's just not enough to work with. Please let me help that shirt."

The look on Trowa's face changed so quickly it was comical. What was definitely a furrowing of brows and lips suddenly popped into a wide-eyed, loose-jawed look that, quite frankly, would have been hilarious enough without the unintelligible, flabbergasted noise that slipped out from the man's mouth. "What? You..." Trowa looked down. "The shirt?"

"Look at it, man. Look how hard it's trying. It wants so badly to camouflage you. I mean, think of the personal sacrifice involved in hiding you within its folds. And then you don't even help it pull it off? Selfish." Duo tsked. "The least you could do is eat enough that it looks like it's packing more than a skeleton inside it."

Another glare, but it wobbled like Trowa wasn't sure Duo wasn't somehow poisoning him with every word. Really, Trowa shouldn't have even been trying. Hello? Heero? Far scarier? Well, the man didn't know Heero yet. He would learn. "You want me to replace the other Trowa. The one you knew."

Duo held up his hand in the universal 'stop' symbol, all traces of humor immediately gone. "No." His other hand slid up to his neck. He pressed against his shirt, until he could feel the ridges of his cross and the rings on either side of it. "You can't – I don't want to try to replace them. There's no way to. They – I knew them, and they knew me. No amount of being around you could ever..." His lips twisted into something he hadn't wanted to show Trowa. Something almost feral. "He's dead. I will never see him again."

Someone had been about to turn down into their hall; Duo heard them promptly turn around and head back. Yeah. No one wanted to walk in on this kind of conversation.

Trowa's two-eyed gaze looked just as hard as ever. He said nothing as Duo finally lowered his hand, ridding them of the distance he himself had created. Duo kept his own gaze steady, even though he wanted to look away. Especially when Trowa's gaze dipped to his collarbone, where, Duo was sure, the edges of the necklace could be seen. Finally, after such a long eternity that the hall once again filled beside them, Trowa nodded. "All right. You can give me money, and I can go find a meal."

Duo beamed the man a zillion-watt grin. "Perfect! You can choose whether or not you want to meet the others." He dug into his wallet, not caring what the passersby thought anymore, and handed Trowa a thick wad of cash, almost everything he had left from his shopping spree. "I – I think we would all love to have everyone together. We have a banner to rally under, you know? Protecting the Sanc Kingdom and its princess."

"She was a princess in your dimension?"

Duo laughed. "Queen, actually, for a little while. She hated it when I called her princess, though." The Relena here might just pop him one. The thought made him grin. "But whether you want to join our merry band of misfits or not, if you could help us with Sloan, that would be phenomenal."

"Whether you planned to help or not, I intended to take down Sloan." Trowa turned away, likely ready to leave Duo behind.

"We do. Plan to help. You really don't have to be alone anymore, Trowa."

Trowa stopped. His back, turned to Duo, looked so thin and worn. But at least now his shoulders were straight. "The only one offering me more is you. And you're dying."

Duo shrugged, even though Trowa couldn't see it. More people were starting to look their way; it wouldn't be long now before too many eyes turned to Trowa. "You haven't even met the others – you haven't even spoken to Quatre, I'll bet, and you haven't even seen what the rest look like. Hell. Without even knowing each other, you all worked to bring about this peace, right? People who give up everything for the fight – for the right of others to live in peace, even though they themselves don't think they'll live to see it – there has to be something redeeming in these sorts of people, right?"

Trowa's shoulders slumped.

"Trowa. I may be dying." And he had no idea what was going on there, actually, so 'may' was definitely the best word to use, "but that doesn't mean your chance for happiness is dying with me."

More stares, and Duo knew Trowa was going to leave, if only to avoid more. Yet still the man was quiet. Still he stood there, even as someone stopped and frowned at them. Duo snarled at them, but apparently making an agent who appeared to be female slump their shoulders and look at the floor was enough to garner a glare back instead of any backpedaling.

"We'll see."

The words were little more than a murmur before Trowa slipped away.

Just barely – because really, a Gundam pilot, from any dimension, should have a little more decorum than that (and because Trowa could very well catch him doing it), he refrained from doing a jumping fist bump into the air. It took a lot of strength of will.

Of course, getting Trowa to say "we'll see" didn't guarantee anything, but it meant the man would at least try to speak with the others, or at least spy on them a little bit. Not that spying on Heero would work well. Or on Quatre; the man was surrounded by an army, for gods' – oh, whoops, Allah's – sake. But, well, a rocky start was still a start.

It meant there was a chance for all of them to become a team. Not the same kind of team they'd been in Duo's dimension, but a team nonetheless. And who was to say they would have remained the same kind of team after five years? Their bond would have changed. Duo doubted it would have broken, or even been frayed, but it would definitely have altered as they within themselves alterations made. (Was that a quote from something? It sounded like a quote from something. Maybe Shakespeare.)

A chance. He hadn't actually thought he would do it. He didn't really know where to go from here. Getting everyone together had been the goal, and granted, that hadn't yet happened, but... he'd facilitated all he could. From here on, it was up to all of them. Up to Quatre to try to mend things with Trowa. Up to Trowa to give Quatre and the others a chance. Up to Wufei and Heero to stick with it, to see where this truce of an alliance could lead. Up to the other him to wake up, to get better – to at least get well enough to see how he felt about all of these people Duo had brought to his side.

And up to Duo to fade away, before any more bonding could take place with him instead of Senior.

The danger in his other dimension was the perfect excuse to escape. Before he did any more harm.

He turned down one hallway, then another, half afraid he'd managed to get himself lost in the middle of the crazy flying ship. But then someone raced past him, and he didn't care where he was. "Hey! What's the rush!"

The woman turned to him. Her eyes widened. "You!"

Duo backed up a step. "Uh..." He looked behind himself, stupidly thinking she had to be talking to someone else. When he turned back, she was much closer. He backed up some more, wondering if he should make a break for Howard's ship?

"You! Come with me!"

Oh, just great. What the hell had happened with Une to make the woman sic her goons on him? He didn't relish fighting his way through the damn ship. Especially when he might potentially be sort of lost.

She reached for him. He snatched his arm away, but the frustrated screech made him pause. That was not usually a battle sound. "What?"

"He's making a mess!" She said. And okay, that was a weird battle cry. Was Heero on a rampage? Trowa? Why? "He keeps demanding proof you're alive, so you have to come with me. Now!"

"Who? Where?" And Duo crossed his arms, refusing to budge.

The woman looked like she was ready to shoot out his kneecaps and just drag his bleeding carcass behind her. "The hospital! He's destroying the place, and we've been ordered by Agent Chang not to harm him!"

Senior.

Duo shoved the woman out of his way and ran.