After breakfast despite being tired from their long flight Duo took Wufei by his arm for a walk through the sheltered garden. The braided American had a gentle hold on the others elbow and was quietly talking to him. Trowa watched them for a moment and then turned his attention to Heero who slowly stretched out his legs, wincing as he did. " What happened to your legs?"

" Burned." He stated matter of a factly, much in the same tone he often used during the war. Duo teasingly called it Heero's soldier mood. " Had to safe Duo." Heero tiredly rubbed his eyes. He could do with some more sleep and was definitely in need of a shower and a change of clothes. After twenty-four hours in the same clothes it was no longer a need but a necessity. He would however wait for his life partner who currently devoted some much needed attention to Wufei who was clearly traumatized from everything he had been through. Heero felt sorry for him but just wasn't good at handling situations like that.

Trowa nodded, knowing he wouldn't get much more of an answer then that. Quite unexpectedly Heero addressed him ; " How about you? How did you get here?" The sharp prussian eyes rested on the latins face.

Trowa opened his mouth to answer but got interrupted before he even got to that part. Erynn was standing in the door opening. " Trowa?" She beckoned for him to take over the phone she was holding out and answered his questioning look with a smile.

" Trowa? It's me Sally." The woman on the other side of the line sounded excited. She barely gave him a chance to say hello before the continued. " Remember you asked me about Catherine last week? I have some very good news. How would you like to come see her tonight?"

" Really? Is she alright?" Trowa cared a lot about the woman who was much like an older sister. Needless to say he had been worried about her and was relieved when Sally told him the circus performer was fine and in fact performing as they spoke. " Can I?" He asked, turning to Erynn who he knew was still there. The blond quirked and eyebrow. Every now and then he still needed to remind himself he was free to make decisions on his own. Instead of scolding him however the warm smile quickly returned to her face. " Of course. Jake can drive you."

Trowa told Sally and after a few parting words disengaged the connection. He had to sit down for a moment to calm himself and wordlessly handed the phone back to Erynn who patted his shoulder and then went to return the device back inside. She popped back outside again a few seconds later to tell them she was going out and probably wouldn't be back before late in the afternoon.

The two man where left in silence. Trowa being completely lost in thought and Heero watching his lover and Wufei slowly return to the deck. " Hey, what's wrong Trow? You look depressed." Duo concluded, glancing from one pilot to the other.

" I'm going to see Catherine again."

" That's good isn't it?" Duo was puzzled as to why seeing the woman would make Trowa sad. He let go of Wufei's arm and went to sit by Heero's side as the Chinese pilot silently sat by Trowa.

" It is." Trowa seemed to realize his words where contradicting his mood and forced a smile. " All we need now is Quatre."

Slender fingers touched his arm and Wufei regarded him worriedly. Trowa shook his head, maintaining his smile. " I'm fine." When Wufei didn't look very convinced he sighed and added. " Honestly, I'm okay." At this the other nodded and the awkward moment passed.

Quatre's stomach growled. There was only a few drops of water left in the bucket and two days since he last had something to eat. He leaned back miserably against the bars, trying to shut out his surroundings. It was a thriving day for the zoo. It was warm and sunny and people took advantage of the beautiful weather by spending it outside. Families with little children, couples, young or old. Just about everything passed his cage. Most people cast their eyes away from paid the keepers to take pictures. Alexander was bound to be pleased, making him suffer and earning money at the same time. He wondered why people bothered. His exotic features where dirt streaked and he was sure he had certainly smelled better then he did now.

In an attempt to ease the hollow pain in his stomach he curled up on his side, ignoring the male who had just paid a good sum of money to get up close to the cage. He was left angry and frustrated as he couldn't even evict the tiniest of reactions from the Arabic boy. Quatre internally heaved a sigh of relief when his taunter scampered off. However his relief was only short lift when another shadow fell on him. Another costumer. Would people ever get tired of it? "

You're Quatre?!" A female voice gasped, causing the blond boy to role his eyes. Who else did she think. He opened one eye now to catch a glimpse of the obviously retarded female. She was probably about his age, a bit younger perhaps. Her blond hair was cut of at her jaw line and her blue eyes regarded him with of different emotion. " I can't believe it." She muttered, probably more to herself then to him. " Trowa will be so happy."

" Trowa?!" Quatre flew up in a sitting position, not even realizing he had raised his voice and had a white knuckled grip on the bars. " You know where Trowa is? Please tell me. Is he alright?" The lady was probably Trowa's mistress and he knew he was being rude to her but any kind of punishment he would gladly take if she would tell him what he wanted to know. At least he was still alive. Quatre's heart fluttered at the thought. " Please..." He added, rattling the words.

The girl had back away a little at his outburst but waved the keepers away who had come running as soon as he had raised his voice. The keepers hesitantly moved away at her gesture but kept a strong eye on him. " He's fine." She promised him. " He's safe."

" Thank god." Quatre only felt immense relief. Tears brimming the corner of his eyes. The woman surprised him even more when she spoke again, leaning in closer to the bars. " Duo, Heero and Wufei too. They're all safe."

" How?" He stared at her in disbelieve. However before she could answer one of the keepers coughed to get their attention.

" Time is up." The man stated firmly.

" Five more minutes please." The woman asked him, holding out a few crumpled bills to the man in his blue jumpsuit. He greedily grasped the credits from her outreaching hand and nodded discretely while tugging his newly earned savings away.

" Can you please give Trowa a message for me?" He asked urgently, willing to do just about anything for that.

" Of course. What should I tell him?"

Quatre took a deep shaky breath. " T-tell him that I love him." He really couldn't care less if saying this would shock the woman but somehow he guessed she knew about his relationship with Trowa. " A-and that I miss him."

She smiled at him, reaching through the bars to put a reassuring hand on his dirty arm. " I know he misses you too." She spoke with a gentleness and compassion that he had not heard in a long time. She seemed to genuinely care for the Latin boy who was his life partner. " You must be hungry?" She was already searching through her bag before he could answer. " Sorry, I didn't really come prepared." She apologized offering him the apple she found. " I just came to see the elephants today."

" Sorry to disappoint you." He remarked before biting in the red fruit. It had been ages since he had one and closed his eyes for a moment when the sweet juices melted on his tongue.

" Not at all. I'm glad I found you." The lady paused for a moment " It might be a while but I promise I'll find a way to get you out of here and back where you belong."

Quatre stopped eating for a moment and he sincerely meant it when he thanked her. He wanted to ask her a lot more but the time was up. With a last smile and a squeeze of her hand the lady disappeared without ever stating her name. He wondered if he would ever see her again. If it where true and Trowa was really with her would she really to help him too? It didn't make much sense to him but all he knew was that there was someone who seemed to be helping them and that on it's own was something to be grateful for.

Trowa had gone to see Catherine as arranged while the circus was on the colony and the feeling of happiness was mutual. In the days that followed Trowa visited her several times. It was a nice change to spend some time with his " could be" sister and the animals. It reminded him of the old days.

Erynn had left the pilots alone for a few days to visit her family in London after assuring they could call her any time but they where confident they could handle it. They where still one member down but where almost back to the dysfunctional family they had been two years ago.

Heero and Duo had moved back into their old room that had been made ready for them. Everything they needed from socks and boxers to shirts and shampoo's where all there. They where extremely happy with the comfort and privacy the room offered at last not having to be afraid of being watched all time anymore and they finally had the room to get reacquainted again on a more intimate level. Both of them feeling more complete again then they had in a long time.

Wufei was doing a little better as well. Mainly thanks to a lot of patience and attention from Duo's side he managed to relax a little and not literally jump at every sound anymore. They even got him so far to start back to the counselor which particularly seemed to please Sally who checked on them every few days.

It was a quiet evening when the four of them where all home, scattered around the living room. Duo was curled up against Heero who had an arm securely around his braided lover. Wufei had made himself comfortable on the other side of the couch with a book and Trowa watched tv when the phone rang. The sudden sound startled all of them but Trowa came enough to his senses to pick it up after checking the number display. He already knew it was Erynn before he heard her voice.

" Trowa?"

He made an affirmative sound.

" Good." She sounded quite excited. " Are you sitting down?"

" Yes."

" Oh good. I hate telling you on the phone but it can't wait until I come back. Trowa I found Quatre."

She found Quatre. The latin pilot dropped the phone up on hearing that. The gazes of all occupants in the room where on him as he paled right in front of their faces.

" Trowa? Hello? Trowa?!"

Duo picked it off the floor. " Duo here. What did you tell Trowa? He looks pale as a ghost." He questioned, worriedly eying his friend who appeared in some state of shock. There was a momentary silence on the other end of the line before the voice repeated it's earlier words but in a more gentle manner. " I found Quatre."

" What? How? Where is he? Is he okay?" The braided American fired questions at her like rapid fire and heard the sound of laughter on the other side of the line.

" He's okay. Looks miserable and is in need of a good bath but he's not in any immediate danger. Can you please give me Trowa again?"

Duo nodded, although she wouldn't be able to see and eased the phone in Trowa's hand with gentle force before helping him lift it to his ear.

" Trowa? He said to tell you he loves you and that he misses you."

He couldn't help it when the tears sprung in his eyes and a choked sob left his throat.

She renewed her promise to him. " I will get him out of there Trowa. My father is doing all he can so it might be a while but he will come home."

"Thank you." He managed to say before his throat felt too tight to speak anymore. He passed the phone back to Duo who exchanged some more words with her and then disconnected.

" Well what do you know. We might just be complete sooner then we think."

I'm telling you the gods are in my favor lately. Can you believe I made another update? Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I ask nicely for you to review. No reviews no uploads. It's quite simple. Well that was all for today. Hopefully until next time.

Xxx Angel