Duo stared out of the ships window. Each breath fogged up the glass a little. Every now and then the dark landscape below them was painted by a see of light. Hundreds of tiny dots that formed a pattern across the land and he never grew tired of watching it. Next to him his partner had fallen a sleep in his seat. Only when he slept he looked that peaceful. The braided pilot smiled, gently covering him with a blanket that was draped over the seats in front of them. Heero stirred but didn't wake and the Duo quietly moved away from the seats not wanting to rob the other of his much needed slumber. The burns on his lovers legs where still there and according to Sally the scars would never completely disappear. Duo knew walking still caused him a great deal of pain even if Heero never complained about it. As for himself, apart from the apparent skinniness he was pretty much alright. The gash on his chest had healed nicely and only a thin red line remained. He felt better then he had in ages. Exited even. In a few hours they would finally see their friends again. Trowa and Wufei. He could still barely believe it. They where free and Sally had told them their friends where in good hands. All that left them now was Quatre. Duo felt his chest ache at the thought of the blond who had been one of his best friends. The former death scythe pilot pressed his hand against the slightly bigger window at the front of the cabin. A glance at the flat screen told him they where somewhere above Japan, Heero's native home. He was so lost in his own thoughts he jumped a little when arms suddenly encircled him from behind. A delicate chin came to rest on his shoulder and warm breath caressed his neck. Duo smiled, covering the others hands with his own. " Sorry, did I wake you?" He asked, trying to glance at Heero but finding that pretty difficult in his current position.

" No." Heero followed Duo's gaze out of the window, watching the little lights below them.

" Do you miss it?" Duo asked, turning around in the others embrace so he could look at him.

Heero hesitated for a moment but then shook his head. " It hasn't been my home for a long time now." His hand cupped up Duo's cheek and captured his lips for a kiss. " You are my home. " He said after he pulled back. Only in front of Duo he could lower his mask and truly be himself. He tugged the others wrist and pulled him back to the seats where Duo settled contently on his lap. " Get some sleep, love." He whispered, covering the both of them with the blankets.

Duo nodded against the others chest. Heero always seemed to see right through him. He wiggled into a more comfortable position and closed his eyes. A few hours of sleep wasn't such a bad idea. He found their ordeal still left him in a weakened state where he would easier grow tired then he had before their captivity. So he was grateful for the fact Heero was with him, needing his comfort to feel safe enough to close his eyes and Heero seemed to take similar comfort from him. It was hardly surprising and certainly nothing to be ashamed off. With a content sigh Duo allowed himself to drift off.

A few hours later he awoke when someone shook his arm. For a few seconds he was disorientated but the flutter of panic disappeared quickly when he realized the person who woke him was Hildie. " Sorry to wake you." She greeted him with a bright smile. " We've arrived." He realized he was still on Heero's lap and couldn't help but to blush a little. Noticing this the girl merely giggled and turned to leave them alone to get ready. Duo watched her leave with a smile. He really had missed hanging around with her and still had a lot of catching up to do with her. However his first and foremost attention went out to Heero and the other pilots. Luckily Hildie understood. She had told him goodbye the previous evening since she would be going back to work but she had promised to come see him some time soon.

Heero had politely pretended to be a sleep but opened his eyes as soon as she was gone. He didn't particularly like the girl but was nice to her because Duo liked her and grateful because she had helped look for them. " Morning." He greeted his lover as Duo turned to wake him. He placed a gentle kiss on Duo's lips and brushed him off his lap with a soft push. Duo was already beaming with excitement which caused him to smile.

"Morning." Duo closed his eyes when Heero kissed him. The difference between waking up a dark and damp little shack on the dirty floor was such a difference compared to waking up in Heero's arms on the seat of a spaceship was such a huge difference it almost made him wonder if the past two years had all been a figment of his imagination. " Are you ready?" He was asked while Heero smoothed some stray tangles of chestnut from his face. " As ready as I'll ever be." Duo replied, feeling strangely nervous as they exited the ship.

" It will be fine." Heero replied in an attempt to reassure the brunette at his side as they where escorted from the ship to a car that would take them to Quatre's former estate. He knew it would be awkward for more reasons then just seeing their friends again. After all Quatre's estate had also been the place where their hell had begun. He it was making Duo nervous and to be honest himself as well. Sally had arranged their trip well. Without questions asked they where simply taking from the busy airport terminal out on to the streets where they got their first decent breath of air in weeks. From there on out it would be a forty-five minute drive. Sally had assured them they would be safe there. The Silverman family that had taken Trowa and Wufei into their custody insisted for them to stay as well fully realizing what would happen if they where ever caught harboring two " Dead" slaves.

During the drive Duo clamped Heero's hand tightly. He looked a bit paler then usual. " I wonder if they'll be happy to see us."

" Of course they will."

" It's just because of what Sally said...you know about Wufei." In the distance the Winner estate was already rising up behind a line of trees.

Heero simply squeezed Duo's hand softly. " Hm." It was a bridge to cross when they came to it.

Sooner then either of them realized the car pulled up on the huge driveway, guarded by the iron gates. It looked just as impressive as it had done two years ago and it looked pretty much like nothing had changed. " Now what?" Duo asked in general, looking somewhat lost. Heero wasn't too sure himself but the driver solved the problem for him and rang the bell. After that nodded his goodbye to them and got back into his car. There was the sound of running footsteps and then the door opened...

Trowa had woken up in the same fashion he had woken the last couple of weeks. A bony hand clutched the front of his shirt belonging to the Chinese pilot that was sleeping at his side. Whatever had happened in the two years had left a terrible scar on the ebony haired male. His prideful eyes had been left haunted and scared. He refused to leave Trowa's side and frequently woke in cold sweat in the middle of the night. They had tried to get him to see a councilor but the whole trip had turned into a drama and for the time being they had decided to leave it but Wufei was having trouble adjusting back to normal life or at least as normal as it would get for them under the circumstances. Trowa devoted himself completely to his friend. He wanted nothing more then to help him and at the same time it also distracted him from thinking of Quatre all the time.

Erynn left them be most of the time. Wufei hadn't been convinced to trust her yet. He didn't speak much in general and only exchanged words with her when Trowa insisted. He carefully pried Wufei's hand off his shirt and got up to take a shower. By the time he was finished the other male was fully awake. Trowa smiled at him, tossing a towel in his direction. " Why don't you take a shower? We can have breakfast in the garden after." Wufei nodded at this, snatching the towel off the bed where in had landed in a heap.

Half an hour later two freshly showered pilots enjoyed the morning sun. Trowa had prepared a quick breakfast in the kitchen and then moved everything outside. They where barely starting when a bright voice interupted their peace.

" Good morning." The messy blond beamed.

Trowa frowned. For a person who hated mornings she was awfully cheery today, not to mention early. Erynn darted onto the deck with energy for three and Trowa hurried to get her a glass of juice before she spilled it all over the table which made her seem to realize she was being overactive. Taking a deep breath the blond seated herself on a chair with a solemn smile and took the glass he handed her. " Thank you." She said a lot more composed. " Hello Wufei." She turned her attention to the male for a moment and Trowa encouraged his friend silently as he received a somewhat helpless glance. Finally Wufei looked up to show her a smile. Seemingly satisfied the blond emptied her glass with a few mighty swigs when the bell rang.

" I'll get it." Trowa suggested but got pushed back down into his seat by Erynn. " No, you stay here. I'll get it." Before he could protest she was already gone. There where still some things that did not seem to change and in this aspect she was still the same as at the beginning he supposed. But it made him strangely happy. Trowa shrugged at Wufei's questioning expression and took a bite of his toast.

" You must be Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell." A blond girl with a bright smile practically threw the door open and knocked them over with her apparent enthusiasm. " Please come in." The girl continued when either of them was too baffled to speak. The ball of energy had to be non other then Erynn Silverman. Somehow Duo had pictured the young mistress a bit different. He swallowed taking Heero's hand and then followed her inside.

In the hall way she stopped to look at them. " Do want to freshen up before you see your friends? You must be tired..."

Now that she had calmed down slightly the girl didn't seem as scary anymore. Duo decidedly shook his head. He felt like he was going to burst from his skin from anticipation any second now.

" Alright." She laughed. " Follow me. Trowa and Wufei are outside."

Heero decided not to mention they knew the way. He held Duo's hand as the passed through the living room. Everything looked completely normal. The windows had been restored and all broken furniture repaired or replaced. The girl stopped in the double doors. " Look who's here." She announced. Judging by the sound of shattering glass she had apparently failed to tell Trowa and Wufei they where coming.

" Heero....Duo? But how?" Trowa looked at them in disbelieve. Wufei had sunk to his knees, broken glass around him. He looked confused and scared? Trowa was still baffled at what he saw when he found himself with an arm full of braided American. For a second he froze but then returned the tight embrace, feeling a sudden wetness in his eyes and he was not the only one. The brunette's shoulders where shaking and tears soaked Trowa's blouse.

Heero watched kind of awkwardly as Duo sobbed in Trowa embrace. The Latin looked at him from across Duo's shoulder, silently imploring for a little help. Snapping out of his daze Heero pried Duo out of Trowa's arms and took him into an embrace of his own.

Meanwhile Trowa had gotten to himself enough to kneel beside Wufei and help him off his knees, away from the broken glass. Erynn was no where to be seen. " I can't believe it." He muttered. " It is really you isn't it?"

Heero nodded to him whilst wiping Duo's tears away with a paper tissue. Wufei still watched them wide eyed, breathing just a little faster. Trowa's hand reassured him a little while he clutched his friends shirt. Duo got himself together again giving Heero a weak smile before stepping forward again. This time his attention was completely on Wufei. " Hello Fei." He said gently, stopping right in front of them but at a well enough distance. " Y-you remember me and Heero, right?"

Wufei nodded, glancing from Trowa to Duo and back.

" S-Sally told us what happened. I'm sorry Fei. Wish I could help you some way." Duo sadly looked at his broken friend. A single tear escaped the corner of the raven's eye. Duo's throat felt tight with emotion when he reached out a tentative hand, silently asking Wufei for permission before drawing him in an embrace. Much to anyone's surprise Wufei returned it more or less clinging to his braided friend. He would not have done this before the war, never.

Breakfast was forgotten now. After the initial shock they calmed down a little. Wufei sat close to Trowa, who in turn patted his shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring fashion. " How did you get here?" He asked, glancing from Duo to Heero.

" Duo and me ended up at the same plant after a few months." Heero briefly filled them in about what had been happening to the passed weeks. " Sally suggested we should stay here. It's the safest place." He got interrupted by the sound of a growling stomach and turned to Duo. It had been a couple of hours since they had last ate something. " Hungry?" He teased, in turn hearing his own stomach growl.

Duo's grin told him enough. " Is it okay if I eat something?" He asked Trowa. " I'm starving and this looks divine." It was a simply breakfast but likely after what they where used it would seem like heaven. Being able to eat and drink what they wanted and whenever they wanted was a prospect all of them had forgotten over time. This morning however seemed like the start of a lot of new things.

There was only one thing missing now.

" Guys, I might know where Quatre is."

I'm just on a role aren't I? Two updates in one week? Must be a record. I hope you enjoyed. Thanks everyone who reviewed so far. I hope I'll be able to update again soon. This time however it will also depend a great deal on you guys. Please leave a review on the way out and I'll be sure not to make you wait too long.

xxxxx