Hey-o, and welcome to my Lil' World of Weirdness!!

I state for the record that I don't own Gundam Wing, or the wonderful characters that will be gracing this story. . . I do however lay claim to Ensign Saratone *again*, and I use him here purely as a replacement for your average Nameless OZ Minion. Other Characters I lay claim to are Faye Bloom, the wizened old man, Chang Xiao Fao Lan, and the Angels.

Let's just say . . . when my writer's block breaks, it's like a dam breaking . . . [shakes head slowly and winces]

Parings: 1x2x1, 3x4x3 . . .. Eh, heh, not that anyone reads up here, but I realised I'm giving away certain parts of my story with these!!

Okay, that's the legal stuff out the way!!

Please ENJOY AND PLEASE R&R!!! THANK YOU!!

Also, thanks to my beloved Bluegoo for her ever wonderful betareading, I thank her for the many hours that she has put in with me on this one, be it correcting my terrible grammar and spelling, or listening to me mumbling large chunks of it down the phone to her . . . You're great, Blue!! Even if you are Commander and Chief of the Apostrophe Gestapo . . . [ducks and runs off, screaming over shoulder] GO READ AND REVIEW HER STORIES!!

Thank you to Two-Mix for the lyrics, I don't own Just Communication!!

//Thinking//

"Speaking"

*Stress/Emphasis*

Writing/Dream sequence

Telepathic thoughts

:: Lyrics ::

~*~

For The Grace Of Knights And Angels

By Doctor Megalomania

Part Twelve: Welcome Respite

Sister Helen smiled as Duo zipped around his apartment.

It was a modest place, and he shared it with Heero. She smiled as she pretended not to notice the mess, and stepped inside delicately. The place hadn't ever seen a cleaner since the two moved in; Helen chuckled as Duo switched between being the attentive host and the dishwasher. He picked up his jacket from pale blue couch, and gave it a quick pat down. He motioned the cleaned space sheepishly, "Uh . . . have a seat?"

"Duo . . ." Half an hour later, between cups of tea, and endless offers of food, Helen popped her head around the doorway to the kitchen and chuckled. She stepped beside him and picked up a dishcloth, picking up plates and drying them. "Duo . . . you've got nothing to prove to me."

Duo paused in his washing up, and then continued at a slower pace, "Yeah, I do."

She placed the plates down gently, and began another, "Why's that?"

"You took such good care of me . . . and I . . . well . . . I want you to see that you didn't waste your time!"

She smiled and dried her hand. She pressed it against his cheek and stared into his eyes, "I remember when you first arrived . . . you were stubborn as a donkey . . . but then . . ." She sighed and began drying up again, "Then after a little while, and you saw that we weren't your enemy, that we weren't going to just use you . . . you realised that we were worth it."

Duo looked into the murky water, silent as the sister continued.

"You realised we were worth it, worth caring for again . . ." she chuckled, "And I'm glad that you've found friends that you think are worth it now . . . that you can keep on smiling, and joking with them, despite what you've been through . . . Duo!" She turned to him again, a bright smile on her face, and her eyes filled with a watery shine, "Duo, you're very being here . . . with a life of your own, something you've made with your own hands . . ." She paused and pressed her hand against his cheek again. "You might not have become the priest I imagined you would have become . . . but . . ." she smiled and nodded, "You've done a lot of good for the world."

The drive to his home was quiet; Meirin spent most of it staring out the window.

"How do you stand it . . .?"

Wufei blinked, and glanced over at her. She still hadn't moved, "Stand what?"

Meirin stretched and looked at him, "All of this . . ." she shook her hands helplessly, "All this not China?"

He chuckled, "It was hard at first . . ." he looked around and sighed, "No one seemed to understand the concepts of honour, and justice . . . and fighting at your best for every battle . . ."

It was Meirin's chance to laugh, "When I knew you, you never care for things like that!! I was thinking how you could stand this noise, this fast pace of things . . . no one does anything in the polite way, but here you are talking about honour and justice . . . and fighting?" She snorted, and looked at her hands, "The Wufei I knew was—"

"--Was weak and unworthy. Too timid to fight, too caught up in thinking that he got you killed." Meirin looked up at the complete lack of vehemence in the words. Wufei smiled, "I know that and since fighting Treize and with Gundam . . . I've come to accept it." He nodded, still staring at the road ahead, "But I was so angry that I'd never had the chance to prove myself to you."

Meirin was silent for a while, before reaching forward and pilling his hair loose of its tie. Wufei's black hair fell like a curtain and twisted as the wind played with it.

She sat back and leant back in her chair, twirling the tie in her fingers, she smiled, and murmured, "You shouldn't wear your hair like that . . ." she smirked gently and looked out the window, "It makes your forehead and nose look big . . ." Wufei snorted and chuckled, and she turned to look at him. Wufei stilled as she reached out and stroked the side of his face, and brushed a lock of loose hair behind his ear.

Music floated through the air gently.

Quatre blinked and followed its soft strains to his music room, and found his mother playing the violin slowly. He stood in the doorway and stared with awe. It was one piece he was so fond of, one he always found soothing. He'd had one tape of it, presented to him by his father, and had never known the artist or composer. He'd never found it anywhere in official publications, and anyone he had asked about it had never even heard of it before.

And here was his mother playing it.

He smiled as she played it as one who knew a song by heart . . . or it came from the heart. She smiled as she played the last few bars, before she lifted the beautiful instrument from her chin, and placed in back into the case with care. "I'm sorry . . ." she murmured, her voice a little heavy with emotion.

Quatre shook his head, "Please . . ." he touched the case with reverence; "It's an honour to hear you play. "

"That's not what I mean . . ." Quatrine's head was bowed, her fringe covering her bright blue eyes, "I mean I am so sorry, that you had to grow up without a mother . . . how hard it must have been for you . . ."

He laughed, "I had twenty-nine sisters who acted like they were my mother . . ." Quatre sighed and wrapped his arms around the woman, "But you're right . . . I wish I had one I could really look up as my mother."

"How . . ." she shifted in his arms, and placed her head on his shoulder, "How did your father die?"

"During the war . . ." he stepped away from her and led her to seats nearby, and to the tea service he'd set up. "During the war, he murmured as he poured some for her and himself, one of Oz's tactics was to make the people see them as their allies . . . when father refused to give them the resource satellite, Oz made it look like he was hording supplies and giving none for the people—"

"That's ridiculous, the Winners have never . . ." she frowned deeply, "how could they say that . . . even when I was around, your father was generous beyond making profits."

Quatre nodded, "I know . . ." he sighed again, sipping his tea, "Yet no one believed him, and he went to the satellite to destroy it rather than hand it over."

"He never left, did he?" Quatrine murmured quietly, holding her cup tightly.

"No. They . . ." Quatre paused, remembering his own pain at the time; "They shot him down, and destroyed the satellite anyway."

"Fools." Quatrine spat out quietly, "Petty fools."

Quatre shifted, and placed his cup on the table, moving to hold his mother as she cried quietly for her husband and his father.

Heero stared at the dark blonde man.

The man raised an eyebrow and stared back. "So . . . at least you're alive, I gather you were one of the major activists in the war."

Heero nodded, and stepped into the holding cell. "Why did you try and hide?"

Odin Lowe pressed a hand against his eyes and sighed, "I guess none of my terrorist tactics survived."

"You were attempting to map the area and locate better hiding places, and escape routes?"

Lifting his hand, one of his grey eyes sparkled from under it, "Not all's lost then . . ." Odin shifted, and motioned for his boy to sit, "So what name do you go by now?"

"Heero Yuy." Heero frowned as Odin stared in shock at him, "What?"

"You had to pick that name, didn't you?"

"What do you mean?"

Odin sighed, "A daily reminder of what I'm responsible for . . . great . . ."

Heero sat beside him, and frowned deeper, "Are you saying you assassinated Heero Yuy?"

"I'm not saying anything; orders - even orders from that time - are orders none the less." Odin shifted uncomfortably on the hard little bunk, "Must you call yourself that?"

"It's the only name I've ever been called . . ." Heero folded his arms, "I refuse to be called 'Boy' ever again . . . it's degrading."

"Smart." Odin grinned, "I like that you haven't changed."

"Hn."

"Although . . ." Odin closed his eyes and leant back, folding his arms behind his head, "I would have like you to have expanded your vocabulary . . ." he opened on eye and looked at Heero, "Do you have an family now?"

"I'm a nineteen year old boy . . . I have no offspring . . ." Heero leant back, the darkness hiding the look in his eyes, "And I've not had a sexual partner."

Odin closed his eyes, "I see you have a problem with too much information . . ." He reached out with one arm, and pulled Heero closer, the boy stiffening in his arms. "I'm not going to judge the fact you don't have a family yet as a failure."

Heero shifted slightly, slouching a little lower.

Odin chuckled quietly, "Do I really have to call you 'Heero'?"

His boy nodded, "I refuse to be called 'Boy'."

"But I *really* don't want to call you that."

"Shouldn't have shot him then in the first place."

"I'm not saying I did shoot him. Sarcastic git. When did you . . ." Odin sighed and squeezed his boy, "How about Odin? Odin's a very handsome name . . ."

"But you're called—"

"I know, but if I could call you Odin . . . then you could call me dad again." Odin smiled, and squeezed Heero again, "I kinda miss that."

Heero shifted and rested his head against Odin's shoulder, "Okay . . . Dad."

"The Ring Master is never wrong!"

Faye clapped her hands triumphantly, and laughed as her son bowed gracefully in his full clown's outfit. The Ring Master of his troupe smirked, "I only wish they would say it of me as well . . ." He shook her hand, "If you have a talent, and a show, I wouldn't mind putting you in tonight."

Faye smiled, "I may have been away for quite a while . . ." She glanced over at the rack of performing weaponry that Catherine kept in her trunk, she smiled and picked up a bow, and selected an arrow. "But the Blooms never lose their talent!" She smirked, and took aim. The ringmaster, and Catherine looked in confusion for her target. Trowa didn't let his confusion show, thinking she was aiming for a nearby post.

There was a soft twang and the arrow sailed through the air easily.

It flew straight past the post and into the crowd. There was a horrified scream as the arrow hit its target.

The small group ran to the gathered group, Faye wearing a rather bored expression. In the middle, the strong man, with a toffee apple in his mouth, stood trembling, muffled whimpers working his throat as he stared at the apple.

The arrow had gone straight through it, and the cold metal head of it was pressed firmly against the man's cheek. Faye went up to him and yanked the apple out of his mouth. "Stop whining, man . . ." she inspected the hit, and showed it to the ring master before shoving it back into the strong man's mouth, "It's only an arrow."

She folded her arms and threw back her head as she laughed.

Noin closed her eyes and leant against the wall.

"No gunshots yet?"

She blinked, and looked up as Zechs moved toward her and handed her a cup of coffee. She nodded, "Looks like Odin Lowe is Odin Lowe." She glanced at the cell door, "Or I would have thought that Heero would have killed him by now."

"You never know," Zechs sipped his coffee and winced at the brackish taste, "He might have garrotted him."

"Not Heero's style. Duo kills silently; Heero would never part with his gun."

"Silencer."

"Like he ever cared about guards hearing him. Trowa maybe, but not our man Heero. Loud, effective, out of there with a trail of guards all the way out."

"You think?"

"I know."

Zechs sighed, and leant back beside her. "Me, Treize, Otto and Walker finally have clearance to leave the compound." He smiled, "We were going to go down to the pub and throw back a few. Care to add a bit of class?"

Noin clapped a hand over her eyes, "Zechs . . . in all the time I've known you; you've never acted like one of the boys." She lifted her hand to stare with one eye at him, "What happened to the elegant, the graceful, the chic of the Lightning Baron?"

Zechs straightened, and held his coffee cup up, carefully extending his little finger. "The Lightning Baron . . ." he began in a very posh voice, "Has turned in for the night, and regrets that due to unforeseen problems with a inflexible, elongated baton up his rear he will be unable to join you tonight, and instead sends Unsexy Zechsy in his place." Zechs broke and chuckled as Noin bend over and laughed hard. He grinned and dropped to his knees theatrically, grabbing her coffee before it spilled. He placed it carefully on the floor near his own, and picked up her hand. He pressed it against his lips, and kissed it loudly, "Please" – a kiss, - "Please!" – another, - "Join us" – he pulled back to stare sincerely into her eyes, before resuming his loud kisses, "We are unworthy, we are scum, we are plebeians!!" He closed his eyes, and slobbered over her hand, "Fair lady, grace us with thy sophistication, thy understanding!"

Noin tugged at her hand, "Zechs!! Stop that!!"

The more she pulled, the more Zechs pulled her down to him. He landed loud, wet kisses all the way up her arm; he kissed her forearm, her elbow. She laughed harder as he pulled up her arm and kissed her armpit. "Zechs!!" She choked out, "It's been a long day!"

She shook her head and snickered as Zechs sniffed loudly against her body, and threw his head back, exclaiming, "Ah! The smell of hard work!!" She was soon facing him, on her knees like he. Zechs stared into her face, and smiled broadly, "So . . ." he snuggled closer, "Are you coming?"

"Yes!" She snorted. Zechs tutted and shook his head.

"Damn. I'm good."

Noin blinked, before she got it. "Zechsy . . . you are unsexy!"

"Am not." He wrinkled his nose, and wrapped his arms around her waist, instinctively pulling her closer. Noin was a beautiful woman; he smiled as she rolled her eyes. She hadn't changed much in appearance, but that was fine by him. He glanced down quickly; her Preventers' uniform jacket was half zipped up, exposing collarbone, neck and a tantalising curve of bosom. He swallowed, and looked up at her. The moment was passing from playful, to sensual.

He shifted slightly to graze his nose against the side of hers. "Stay at mine tonight." He whispered, "You can't drive home after we drink . . ."

"I'll have cola."

His lips brushed over hers, "Only with two shots of vodka."

"Trying to get me drunk, Zechsy?" Noin's eyelids shuttered, as he felt his own begins to grow heavy.

"Never. I just want to give you a good time. Alcohol always makes people happy."

"I'll take a taxi."

"Rates are through the roof, and the drivers are rude."

"Preventers' pay well and I bet they aren't half as rude as you."

He sighed, brushing his nose against hers again, "Please, I want you to be safe." She sighed and closed her eyes. Leaning her forehead against his, she sighed again. "Really?" She breathed.

He nodded, "Yeah . . . I'll sleep on the couch . . . Scouts' Honour."

Noin chuckled and nodded, "Okay then . . . Scouts' honour." They blinked looked up as the lift nearby began to descend. Zechs held her for a moment longer, and then helped her up. The lift opened, revealing Lady Une, Doctor Sally Po, Treize, Walker and Otto stepped out. The three men had been given volunteers' uniforms for the time being. Sally smiled a little and tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Well . . ." she admitted, "I'm exhausted, and I don't think we'll get much more done tonight . . ."

Noin nodded, "Just waiting for—"

The cell's door opened as if on cue. Heero stepped out, motioning Odin to wait for a moment. He turned to his superiors, and nodded. "I know this man, he's . . ." he swallowed, raising more than one eyebrow among the group with his hesitancy. Une stepped forward, and nodded. "Heero . . ." she began, she tipped her head and nodded, "Take him home . . . I'm sure Doctor Po's scans and tests can wait until morning."

The officer nodded, and opened the door wider. The older man stepped out, and glanced warily at the others, he nodded a greeting, "Hello."

"Welcome to Earth." Une nodded back, "I trust you won't cause any trouble."

Odin tipped his head, and tapped his forehead with a finger, "Always one to obey orders, me."

Une frowned slightly, but accepted that. She glanced at Sally, who nodded as well. "Well, then . . . get some rest, Captain Yuy."

"Yes, ma'am." Heero walked toward the lift, motioning Odin to follow. Odin tipped his head in a farewell gesture, and shouldered his small bag. Sally pursed her lips, and turned, "Heero."

The young captain turned and raised an eyebrow.

"This is sheer curiosity, and feel free to tell me to bug off . . ." Sally began, she shrugged, "But I'm sure I'm not the only one wondering who Odin Lowe is to Heero Yuy."

Heero glanced at Odin, who shrugged. "It's your call, bo—" Heero glared at him. The man grinned, "What? I was going to say Odin." He glanced at the company of people waiting for an answer. He winced, "It's still your call."

Heero sighed, and looked back at them. "He's the man who found me as a child and raised me . . . he taught me everything I know about being a terrorist."

Treize, Une and Zechs' eyebrows shot upward, and Noin snickered. Sally folded her arms and nodded, "Figures."

"Christ!" Zechs threw up his hands, and mock-glared at the two. "Do you know what a pain he was during the wars?! How many bases we lost?!"

Odin's expression went from slack jawed to one of pride, he grinned. "That's my boy." He turned to Heero and slung an arm around Heero's still too thin shoulder, "May need a little weight, but my boy sure can blow stuff up good." Odin chuckled, "Just like his old man!"

"Old man?" Une repeated slowly, then blinked. A slow smile built on her lips as she realised another unlikely family had been put together. Odin waved again, and Heero turned to leave. When his adopted father swung his arm around his shoulders again, Heero didn't shrug it off. The older group watched the doors close, before Treize straightened his jacket and cleared his throat. So, he began, "Where are we going?"

Zechs held up a finger, "I wish to remind the party that no one is wetting their whistle." He grinned, "After the time we've had, they are *soaking* their trumpets. Motion raised?"

Treize tipped his head and held up his arm for Lady Une, "Motion carried, sir!"

"Excellent. And remember, Scouts' Honour, gentlemen." Zechs nodded, and did the same for Noin, who quickly slipped her arm into his. Walker, Treize and Otto agreed loudly, before Treize leant over, and whispered none too quietly; "Do any of you know what the Boy Scouts actually got up to?"

"Heh, heh, heh. . ." Zechs raised a finger, "Why do you think I suggested it?"

Treize grinned wickedly, as Walker muttered, "But what if we weren't a Boy Scout when we were younger . . .?"

"Then we cross our fingers, and don't tell the girls." Otto leant over into the little huddle, and whispered just as loudly. He glanced over as Une and Noin disengaged their arms and linked arms with Sally. Walker snickered and leant over too, "Don't look now, but I think they're checking us out!!"

Sally shook her head, "Jerks!"

"Will this be appropriate?"

Meirin stared into the small guest suite, "No."

Wufei glanced about, "But it's the only spare room I have." He folded his arms, and glared at her as a crafty smile leisurely spread over her lips, "What's wrong with it?"

"It's not where you sleep, is it?" She shouldered the small bag, and picked up her case again, "A wife should sleep with her husband." Turning, she looked him in the eye, "I trust your bed is big enough for the both of us."

"Yes, it is . . ." Wufei started slowly, "But I . . ."

"What?" She turned, and eyed him, "Is another woman sleeping there?" She had meant it as a joke, but Wufei looked at her with all seriousness. Meirin blinked and swallowed, she looked over his shoulder, then into the room, "I guess . . . I guess I have been dead . . . and . . ." She brightened again, "This will be fine, Wufei."

"Nataku."

She strode into the room, her back away to him as she threw the case onto the bed. "This will be fine . . ." she looked down, for a moment, before she turned to face him again, her old stubborn pride in place, "Thank you, Wufei."

"Nataku . . ." Wufei stepped toward her, "My bed will be big enough for the two of us." He lifted a hand and stroked her hair back, before leaning over to kiss her lightly, "I'd never considered it before . . ." he smiled, "My life was too full for other women."

She blinked, her dark eyes wide as he untied her hair for her.

"When you are with me . . ." he murmured, "You shouldn't wear your hair like that . . ." he smoothed the long hair back over her shoulders, "Wear it like you did on our wedding day . . . it makes you look . . ."

Meirin's cheeks flushed as he leant closer to whisper in her ear.

". . . beautiful."

"Well?"

Sister Helen smiled, as she felt Duo tug at her dress, "Is it ready?"

She chuckled, almost. "Just be patient."

"I don't wanna though!" He pouted, and tugged at her dress again. "Are you sure it's not done yet?"

"Very."

"Hmph!" He huffed loudly, and looked at her. He was silent for such a long moment, that she looked up and found him staring intently at her, with a half smile on his lip. "Can I call you mom?" Sister Helen smiled widely and nodded, Duo grinned, "All right!" He blinked, "Can I call you mommy?" Helen chuckled quietly and shrugged.

"I guess so."

She gasped as Duo slid his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly. He closed his eyes and leant his cheek down on her shoulder. They were around the same height, so it was easy for him to lean up a little and see over her shoulder. "Mom?" She hummed a response, "Mommy? Is it ready yet, mom?"

"Almost . . . it just needs to simmer for a while longer . . . besides . . ." she glanced at Duo, "We aren't the only ones eating . . . and your roommate isn't here yet."

"Heero can last for days without food . . . I can't!" Duo scrunched up his nose and pouted, "Besides . . . when he gets back, he'll probably sit in front of that laptop of his!"

Keys jingled in the lock and Duo sprinted for the door, he chuckled as he called out, "He's here now . . . that soup better ready, mom!!" He smiled at the sound of Helen's laughter, and grinned wider as Heero opened the door. "Hey, man . . . are you in for a treat!!"

Heero turned, and nodded, closing his eyes briefly, "You're not cooking."

Duo scowled and punched him in the arm, "Hey! I cook good!"

"You cook *well*, Duo, it's *well*!" Helen's voice floated from the kitchen, "Grammar is important when talking to others who don't come from the same colony as you."

Duo rolled his eyes, "Okay!"

There was a deep laugh from the doorway, as another man stepped in, "And this would be Duo Maxwell . . ." he held out a hand, "I'm Odin Lowe Senior."

Duo blinked and shook the man's hand, before glancing at Heero. "Er, hello . . ."

Heero shifted his shoulder bag to the floor and straightened, "This is my adopted . . ." he glanced at Odin, a thin smile forming on his lips, before he quashed it, "My adopted father. Dad, this is my housemate, Duo Maxwell."

Duo blinked slowly, and stared openly at the dark blonde, grey-eyed man. "Father . . .?"

Odin nodded once, humming slightly. He closed his eyes and sniffed the air, "Ah . . . smells delicious." He walked in further, and followed his nose to the kitchen, "Mmm . . . yum."

Duo grabbed Heero's arm as the former perfect solider closed the door, and took off his shoes, "You have a dad?!"

"He's my adopted father." Heero corrected, he moved around and grasped Duo's hands in his own, "Besides you have an adopted mother . . ."

"Yeah, but you never told *me*!"

There was a quiet laugh from the kitchen. The two former pilots looked over, and then at each other. Heero squeezed Duo's hands, a tiny bit of delight escaping his blue eyes, "I never knew."

----------------------------

And Now It's Time to LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!
DrM: [sighs happily] awwww. . . Heero has a daddy!! Awwww!!

Heero: why not bring back any of my real family?

DrM: [shrugs] the Church asked Scientists never to try and find out what happened before the big bang. . . I respect EPISODE ZERO, therefore I will only try and tell stories in connection with that. . . and elaborate some of my theories. . .

Heero: isn't that just a fancy way of saying you ran out of women to make up?

DrM: [bows head] yes, sir. . . I thought having all the pilots' moms coming back was pushing it too far. . . besides, I like Odin. . . he's got. . . a certain pow.

Heero: pow.

DrM: [nods] pow.

Odin: [raises eyebrow] pow. . . she says I've got pow. [sighs] anyway, please R&R!!

Heero: pow?